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2015Jun21Sermon128.mp3

Well good morning. And welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach on this father's day this special day. I lost my own dad more than 30 years ago but. Still remains. List me as a positive. What's in my life. I know that's true. Any of you. We are at congregation of open minds loving hearts and helping hands people seeking to become our best individual selves even is together we work to make. Our world a better and more humane place. Please know that you are welcome this morning just as you come to us. Whether you are young or old gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What do you have a ged or a phd whether you've been. Coming here for decades or this is your first time with us. When you're feeling absolutely on top of the world or. Down in the dumps or somewhere in between we welcome. Cherish having. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. That you'll find something here this morning. That nourishes your soul and feeds your spirit and gives you renewed purpose and love and. Troy with which to live your life. The days ahead. Please join me in a responsive opening words this morning i wrote these around are seven principles. Once for my board many years ago. Your part is a. The darkened there and. Italicized and it will also be up above. In a world with so much hatred and violence. In a world of so much brutality in fear. Little world with so many persons abused and neglected. We need a vacation. Encourage one another. In a world so much dogmatism and falsehood. Weedeater is a challenge. Google search. In a world was so much tyranny and oppression. I apologize. In a world with so much any quality and strife. World.. In the world as the pope knows. With so much environmental degradation. Of which we are apart. In a world. With so much uncertainty in despair. Gather. A reading this morning comes from the uu a pamphlet. We are unitarian universalist by the reverend markus flanagan. What we believe. Unitarian universalism is a religious is a liberal religion born of the jewish and christian tradition. We keep our minds open to the religious questions people have struggle with in all times and places. We believe that personal experience conscious and reason. Should be the final authorities in religion. Indian religious authority lies not in a book. Person or institution. But in ourselves. We put religious insight to the test in our hearts. Alarm 9. We uphold the free truth this research for truth. We will not be bound by a statement of belief we do not ask anyone to subscribe to a creed. We say ourselves. That we are a non creedal religion hours is a free fate. We believe that religious. Wisdom and is ever-changing. Human understanding of life and death. The world and its mysteries is never final. Revelation is continuous. We celebrate unfolding truth's known to teachers prophets. And sages throughout the ages. We affirm the worth of every person. We believe people should be. Encouraged to think for themselves we know people differ in their opinions. Choices. And identities and we believe these differences. Should be honored. We seek to act as a moral force in the world believing that ethical living is the supreme witness a religion. The here-and-now and the effects of our actions will have on future generations deeply concern all of us. We know that i relationships with one another with diverse peoples ethnicities. Animations. Should be governed by justice equity and compassion. Alright about twice a year here uscb i'm asked to summarize for people considering becoming a part of this church the essence of unitarian universalism. And every time i do that somebody will say the meanest got you want to make a sermon out of this presentation because it's a really good summary. And so that is my purpose to summarize for you this morning in 30 minutes or less i promise. It may not be every last thing you need to know about unitarian universalism because it ours is a complicated and intricate religion. But everything i think that is fundamental and essential about our faith. So you don't think i can do this hold onto your hats here we go on for those of you won't want to start the stopwatch on your little computer go right ahead here we go. So what imma do this morning is i think our liberal faith can be delineator described by six things are history. Narcity rheology are eschatology our epistemology are ontology cosmology and then you're going to benefit from a summary statement. So i'm just going to take right through these six things and i want to begin by giving you a thumbnail sketch of our history. Historically is marta said where a 500 year-old judeo-christian faith tradition with roots that go back to the reformation. Although the theological roots of our faith go away back beyond that. Our institutional roots took. Charge plate took garoutte. In europe beginning in the 1600s and places like transylvania. Poland. Switzerland holland and england we still have some hundred and twenty-five congregations. In the hungarian part of transylvania. Many congregations throughout england and a few scattered around the world. In india the philippines mexico new zealand australia. South america sri lanka and africa. So in the earliest days. Of america's then. Both unitarianism and universalism sprang up. As two positive. Hopeful liberal. Christian sects. In the face of the negativity of puritanical calvinism which focuses focused as you know on sin and depravity and let's feel lousy about things are all going to go to hell. Are too liberal face. Stood up. It was a more positive message for humanity unitarianism. Spiritually asserted that there was a unity. Holiness and goodness. In god. Inhumanity and increation a good unity to all things. And the universalists asserted that our creation was animated by a good and loving god. Who has the universal love for all his creatures and so none are doomed. To hell. And damnation. That was the nation grew. Unitarian universalist were leading social reformers based on this optimism we had about the human experience. And the human person. We fought for equal rights for african-americans women children immigrants and workers. We led the charge for prison and mental health reform. And universal education. We positively influence the shape of american life. Way beyond our numbers and continue to be a hopeful movement. Fiercely devoted. To the improvement of human society. In the 18th and 19th century one of the mantras for both the unitarians and the universal assist. Let's bring the kingdom of god to earth. Let's bring the kingdom of god to earth. To our good works. So. We were definitely just a positive christian. Two positive christian movement. But with the turn of the 20th century both the unitarians and the universe. And universalist. Became influenced by something called religious humanism and also became open to all of the truths of the otherworld face says we became. More global citizen. So we slowly but decidedly became a post. Christian faith not anti-christian. Just post-christian. Still firmly rooted in our judeo-christian heritage. But moving beyond what i call the narrow confines of the christian narrative you know here's the christian narrative and the buddhist in the muslim and all these other narrative the humanist narrative. We just. Could restrict ourselves to the christian narrative not hustle of the christian narrative. We look to it for many many social and ethical truth. But.. Not wanting to limit ourselves. Spiritually so we became a much more eclectic. Spiritual. Kind of organization. That embrace the wisdom of humanism first and all the world's great religions. To this day. We believe that every religion has some truth. But not all the truth not even our own. Has all. The truth. Heather corner on altru. So today we're a relatively small mostly americans somewhat intellectual religious movement. What about a quarter million men women and children in united states. Tied to our historic roots in the judeo-christian tradition. But an evolving faith tradition open to new revelation new truth and certainly open to every world faith. As of something that can. Just okay. To the terryology. Big word. Simply means the study of salvation. Which is the ultimate really salvation is. The question of your ultimate human purpose or destiny. What is a t reality what is your destiny. Do most you use believe that human destiny and purpose must be played out. Here and now in this mortal existence on this planet by the way we live our lives and more about that this worldly. Focus in a minute. We are a character. An ethical in the lifestyle religion. We believe in deeds over doctrine behavior over beliefs. Ours is a tradition that says it matters ultimately how you live your life. Because that will determine your destiny. And your purpose. As a human being. Both the nineteenth-century unitarians in the 19th century universalist talked all the time. About salvation. By character. I think it was the great unitarian preacher william ellery channing who said. Be careful how you live. It's the only sermon. You will ever preach. And there's a famous twentieth-century affirmation with said don't tell me what you believe. Show me how you live. Your salvation then. The quality and the depth. Is fizz. Is found in the quality and the depth and the decency of your relationships with life how well how caringly you touch other life near and far that will determine your potential. And your purpose as a person. So the goal of our religion is congruence. Congruence between what you say you believe. And how you live your life. You can't just come to church and then be a miserable son-of-a you know what the rest of the week we expect a congruence. Between what you believe your values your dreams and how. You live your life. This makes us a pietistic tradition. Now that word freaks out a lot of you use because they think of pietism is being sanctimonious. Holier-than-thou that is not what pietism mean. The early german pietist. In the oven was at 16th century. We're lutheran. And they were the original what would jesus do crowd. They looked around europe and saw the roman catholic church in crescent with his indulgences and its rich lavish lifestyle. Any lutheran lutheran. A pietist. Well. What would jesus do if he were here right now living with us we must live like jesus would live so let's read the book. See how jesus would live what he cared about and live in accordance with that. That is what we are as a movement. You must live in accordance. With your highest values and your principal. Wiara pietistic religion. There should be congruent. Between what you say. And how you live. Reverend henry meserve serving our big church in st paul minnesota once i told this before. Put up a famous sermon title that every minister in the movement stole from him. I wanna marquis one sunday was if being a unitarian universalist were against the law. Would there be enough evidence. Chicken victory. Sulphur unitarian universalist salvation is not some otherworldly far-off ultimate kind of. Abstract concept. Salvation is rather played out here and now in the stuff of your own life as you strive to be the best person the most authentic person you can be again in accordance with what. You believe. And that's of already pointed out. We believe in salvation not just for individuals that they're purposely played out we believe in helping to create the salvation. Of the society and our world right now we're struggling in charleston south carolina with. A depraved vicious ugly act. And we have responsibility to help american society save itself from these. Demons and anna are creation is the pope said this week we must. You must become a very much. Concerned about our environment. We believe in the end and working toward the salvation of self and the salvation of the world. And that is very in. Now we go to number 3. Another theological world word eschatology. Eschatology is simply. How do you understand life-and-death eschatology is the study of. So-called final things. Another river forest church the famous articulate minister of all souls in new york. Until his death just a few years ago said this. Religion all religion. Isn't the end about coming to terms with the twin mystery. A finding yourself alive. And realizing that one day you must die. Eschatology that is the study of last things. They'll foremost unitarian universalist as i've said our purpose is to be played out in this life. That makes us. In theological terms we have a realized eschatology. A realized sense of life and death realize meaning in this life it must be realized here and now. My good friend dennis daniel who's our minister in chico california once said in a sermon. I spent my whole life trying to get unitarian-universalism down to just a few words. And i finally got it down to three words. This. Is it. That's a realized eschatology. You must play your faith your life your purpose your dignity your love you must play it out now and if you are to know the eternal it will be in the stuff of this holy life. Of this holy moment. No. Some find such a realized eschatology and minion our community to be depressing cuz they want life forever. And. But to me the sense that i have only this life to find my purpose and live my life out. Give my life and intensity of a richness. It would not have if i thought i could. Stumble around 4. Ever. I want i want to be pushed now tipped to become the best. Person. That i can be. Many unitarian universalists. Take comfort from the jewish idea of the lasting immortality of influence. Meaning that we live on. None of the concrete sense of consciousness forever but that we live on through the way we've touched life our children or grandchildren. The books we've read the. Duck duck duck. Simple acts of kindness. That we've done that have lifted the soul of the whole world. But there's a lasting immortality of influencers. Karma in good energy that. You live well and treat life well. You will live on in the intent of the spiritual wholeness. Of the universe one visual way to understand this isn't your life. It's like a pebble. If you pick it up. And the. Closet into a pond. It ripples out now as the time goes by the power and size of those ripples. Kinda diminishes but not a very calm day if you toss a pebble or a rock into a pond. It goes all the way to the edges. The pond that becomes part of the infinite energy of that pawn. That's one way. Of thinking about. Your life. It's like a pebble dropped in the pond and you've only got a while to energize. That pug now. With all that said. That we tend to be of this world a religion. If i if we paused right here and i asked everybody so what do you think happens after death. We would get a whole host of answers. Some of you might believe that you somehow remain. Conscious of the world after your physical death after your body dies. That you have some sort of awareness or spiritual awareness others if you may believe that you're. Your spirit of your soul somehow becomes. Apart of the of the soul of the whole others of you may believe that there's some other form of transformation or continuation. We'd hear different answers to that question. So there's no feel as marta flanagan said this is not a dogmatic religion. We don't say what you can't believe in heaven here or you can't believe. In eternal life here. There are so many spiritual ways of understanding it and we have diversity. About our eschatology. But. That said. That's it. Most of all. Are much more folk. On this world and believe that this idea that you can have eternal life. Is kind of a. Pop out from taking full responsibility for the life you must live now this world is enough. Foremost. Unitarian universal sniff ends forest church that as he lay dying of his. Esophageal cancer well if there's. If there's more unwilling to be happily surprised. I don't think there is but if there is i'm willing to be. All right number four on how my doing doing really really well. Epistemology. Epistemology is another fancy word meaning. What is your understanding of religious knowledge and authority. Authority. Is a huge issue in religion. Because every religion must answer this question. By what authority. Do you buddhists are you jews are you christians are you unitarian universal. Are you human. By what authority do you say something is real. Or true. Or good. Or right. If you can't answer those questions for example of christian might say. Love is right because jesus taught us. That we must love. God and love our neighbor as yourself. The authority for the idea that love is precious comes from the authority of jesus found in the bible. Through god. That is illegitimate epistemology. And that is the standard epistemology in this town in most churches. It's the bible and god and jesus are the authority. But as you can see from our six sources and we'll just kind of scroll through these i listen to stay here just for a second. These are articulated by our. Dennis marta flanagan said it is our directive personal experience. That is the most powerful. And then we have the words and deeds of prophetic women not just jesus. Jesus was a pretty smart good guy but there are many others for for god's sake pardon express. Alright let's move on. And then of course i've already set at the turn of the century we really became interested in more than more being more than christian. And yet we are rooted in judeo-christian heritage and teaching. We certainly took on humanism as a great. Wisdom in the 20th century with the dawning of. Of all of that and then we added late in our denomination history. The earth centered traditions neo-paganism. Which teaches us reverence for the for the earth. And all of that. So you can see that. From these from these epistemological statements these sources of authority for us. That we are definitely more than christian we are post-christian. And while we find a. Judeo christian teachings important. They are not listed first. They're listed fourth. So are so baby if that's the 4th yeah. So. And there are many other aspects of our epistemology but ours of course. Is an open epistemology. We believe that authority can be found in the poetry of may sarton or mary oliver. It's found in history. It's found in all the world's great scriptures. But most of all. Authority for living your life as marta flanagan said must flow out of your direct experience your conscience your reason. Why are you deferring this to someone else some guy in a big role with us. Without pointy thing or something. No you're responsible for saying i don't believe that's true i wouldn't know live my life this way. So. That is number for now we go to number five. Are ontology and cosmology. Which is simply a fancy theological word for saying. What is your understanding. Of the structure. Of the universe. Now let's let's go back to dante and her early catholicism. They had an ontology cosmology that had. God and then the archangel's and then that you know all this stuff and then there's humana there's a devil and his minions it was a that was ancient cosmology and then dante. Seven rings of hell different centres would be a different places that's all cosmological ancient. Cosmological thinking. Most. People here in in indian river county who go to church. Believe. That there is something called god. Now. There are many different understandings of course of god but. Foremost. They believe there is a. Supernatural personality presence intelligence. That is ruling the universe. Making decisions. And to whom we must express fealty. And love that is a cosmology. But there is god in heaven however you mean that. And of course. Most unitarian universalist. Here in this congregation i think we're kind of evenly split. Between. People who tend toward humanism and natural science who believe well know i look around and i see my natural world and. And what i see is what i get. I don't see a supernatural power i don't understand it when a plane crashes you know people say well why did god. Horse that plane down there in our white why do some people survive the plane crash he must have a purpose for them. That doesn't make any sense to me. So a lot of unitarian universalist are on the humanist the natural religion side would say no i. I was born into a natural world. And i may feel a spirit hear some sort of a spiritual presence. And but i tend to be a naturalist and just believe that what i see is what i get and i've got a lifetime to live. But then of course another half of unitarian universalist have some sort of. Some sort of more spiritually directed view of. God or spirit that. World is animated by by. Forces beyond our are rational knowing and. And the i-10 to be. I tend to want to split the difference like i tend to want to have a foot in each camp. I'm an ardent humanist because i believe that we are responsible for our lives and that. If we're is this world is going to be saved it's not going to be because. Some supernatural presence decides to deal with global warming it's because we are going to deal with global warming. So i tend to be a rationalist and a naturalist. And humanist but i also. I also sense that there is a holy spirit. Infuses everything i see it in people. In lovely moments between a grandfather looking at his grandchild for the first time. I see it when people organized and communities to solve problems. I see that presents sometimes and nature when i. I'm in that deeply wooded northern forest and that. And the sun is streaming to the green leaves and it's absolutely beautiful i see a spirit an indwelling. Holiness what i choose to call. God or spirit or something. But in unitarian universalism what i'm saying is that there is so many different ontology and cosmology. It matters i think that you have some understanding of. How do you understand your world. Are we just are is humanity here alone in the spinning little orb. Really on our own and and and without any sort of spiritual presence or is there something more. And again i personally answer it i want both i want both understanding so i'm not going to choose. I once had somebody in one of my churches. I think it was a. Maybe it was a question that. That i received. It said them. If scott doesn't make up his mind between humanism and and theism i'm leaving this church. But i thought personal lawyer your grip on this denomination isn't very firm if you're waiting for me to decide. What you waiting for me to decide what are you decide where it where you stand. Soap. Again cosmology ontology is where. You will find more diversity. In our face tradition that i think in anywhere else and it still in coffee hour you go up to somebody and still what do you believe about. Creation is there is there something more than human life is there. It is there a spirit that animates all is there some. Forced breathing. You find out you'll see what. What people say it's. It's not there's no consensus about the nature. Of the universe. Here in a congregation anymore really then there's consensus about many things. If we did a. Little show of hands about who supports the death penalty who believes abortion should be available. How to handle any number of social issues there be a difference of opinion. The rule is it if you come to unitarian universalist church. Expecting the meat only people who see the world the way you do you're going to be disappointed and you're going to leave. Cuz here. You're going to encounter people. See a very different world than you and if you are a good unitarian universalist. You are not only tolerant of those views you welcome them you're intrigued by them you ask questions will tell me more about that rather than say well here we don't believe that we're all pro-choice here. You know i had a person in my last church. Said somebody i really am not in favor of abortion in the woman said where you won't fit in here because we're all pro-choice here. No renaud. We're not pro anything or not auntie anything. In complete agreement. Alright. I still got five minutes holy mackerel and i'm almost done. I'm going to finish early. Be used to be very proud of me. sometimes i don't finish on time all right number 6. Summary statement. Unitarian universalism. Is a 500 year old this worldly. Free thinking. Post christian. Inclusive and diverse spirit-filled ethical and character-based religion. A modern and evolving faith. Devoted cell. To the spiritual and moral development of every individual. Even as a fight tirelessly. To create a more just. Loving. Peaceful. And humane world for all now. There is of course much more i can and will say. About our liberal faith tradition. And i also need to point out. That their other thoughtful unitarian universalist who if they were here right now and heard this presentation they would say that's your summary of unitarian-universalism the wrong of course to criticize my. I don't. The point is. And in fact marni harmony was going to preach five sermons to you this summer about unitarian universalism ask me for a copy of this. Because she was intrigued with what i was going to say this morning and was hoping to. To lift up different aspects of it. As she goes through her stint as our summer minister. But i have hope. This morning i hope this morning. That i have succeeded. In the last 26 minutes. In giving you a more less accurate. Inspiring and constructive outline of what unitarian. Universalism. At its best. Is all about. I pray that this free face tradition. Feels. Comfortable. And constructive spiritual home for you. And will be if it doesn't already. A place of love. Hope. And purpose. Service. That will serve you well. For an entire lifetime. Two-and-a-half minutes. The deadline. Singing meme. And i leave you with these words of my friend and colleague john curotto who is here when i did my bike ride in april. He writes and sends you on your way. We have been blessed this morning by who we are. And the hope and promise and the community we can build here. Remember that hope and promise. Remember that you are unique and needed part of it. Livets beauty. Tell its story. Go in peace. Return to us. I meant.

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2012Mar11Sermon32.mp3

49. Uusc justice sunday when we reflect on the many and justices. Of our world and what we can do to make a positive difference. I want to struggle out loud and this house of goodness and hope. With one of the most troubling and vexing questions known to humanity the question of evil. This is been a theological topic that has challenged me personally for my entire ministry. It was more than 30 years ago now when i wrote a major paper on the subject for a theological study group to which i belong of you you ministers entitled. Finding hope. In a post-holocaust world. Which was subsequently published in the national journal and received fairly wide attention within our denominational circles. I began the paper. With the haunting description by holocaust survivor elie wiesel. Here is a photo of him at age 15 just before he was taken to the death camps. His mother and father and three sisters. Were sent from the jewish ghetto in romania. To auschwitz. Buzzell was the only one in his family to survive the war. It is heroin book night. In which he describes what he saw as a young boy. When he arrived at auschwitz in a crowded cattle car. Here's the quote. Not far from us. Flames were leaping up from the ditch gigantic flames. They were burning something. Olori drew up at the pit and delivered it slowed. Little children. Babies. Yes i saw it i saw it with my own eyes. Those children in the flames. So this was where we were going. A little farther on with another larger ditch for adults i pinched my face. Was i still alive was i awake. I could not believe it how could it be possible for them to burn people. Children. And for the world to keep silent. This could be true. It was a nightmare soon i should wake with a start. My heart pounding find myself in the bedroom of my childhood. Among my books. I told my father that i did not believe they could burn people in our age. The humanity would never tolerate it. Humanity. My father said. Humanity is not concerned with us. Today everything is allowed. Anything is possible he said. Even these cream. Diesel. Was the only member. To survive of his. His mother and sisters were sent. The gas chambers that very day. And his father was late later beating. Here is a picture. A vessel and other holocaust survivors. Finally being released. At the end of the war. In my paper then after i shared this story from vsli wrote this. After auschwitz this planet is no longer a place for innocents. Auschwitz is commanding historical proof. The third exist within the human experience a primordial and permanent capacity for radical irredeemable evil. The nazi nightmare was so deep and vast is to make it impossible to theologically dismiss it. As a psychotic aberration of a few demonic megalomaniac. Hitler and his henchmen were only able to turn 6 million jews into ash and soap and fertilizer. With a systematic support. Of all sectors of a highly developed western society and the acquiescence. Of the so-called civilized world including. The united states. Which was either unwilling or unable to add. The holocaust i want on belongs. To us all. It speaks with a terrible clarity of an essential deep down ugliness that must be owned by the whole of the human family. There can be no successful theological escaped from its horror and its presence. All religions i ended. All systems of human hope including our unitarian universalist faith. Must sooner or later come to terms with the stark. Reality. Acumen eva. No since i wrote these words. Human history has only reconfirmed byam alysis of the human potential for evil. I wrote this before the khmer rouge in cambodia senselessly slaughtered. Millions of their own citizens i wrote this before. Almost a million defenseless tootsie women men and children were hacked to death by the hutus in rwanda in a genocide or rage. I wrote this before the ethnic cleansing camps in bosnia and herzegovina before the barbarism into far before before anybody could even imagine the barbary of 2,000. Before. Before syria. Catturd its own guns. But its own. There have been endless time. There may have been there may have been a few times in human history when extreme optimism about human nature could ignore the reality of such depravity and darkness. Within the human soul. But it is not possible for anyone who has been alive in the last. Couple of generations. To doubt the stark reality of human evil. Within the march of history within the march of nations. Within the recesses of individual human hearts. And so i won't honestly and sadly answer my own question about is there such a thing as evil. Horse. It's real and it's powerful. And it's a permanent and pernicious parts. Of our collective humanist it is a permanent and pernicious part. Who. Ar. But we unitarian. Perennial optimist about the human experience as we are. Have always been a bit squeamish about evil and hesitant to give it a permanent. Or prevalent place in human nature. Just look at our seven. Positively worded principles on the order of service this morning. When we talked about a religion we talked about in our principles. My colleague david rank and might have been speaking for the whole religious movement when he once confessed this in a sermon. I have personally tried every conceivable technique to avoid confronting the reality of evil. I attended an update. Uu seminary. I gave up the newspapers i read romantic poetry and the complete works of emerson. I took up golf and hiking i saw the sound of music 16 times. I refuse to vote i listen to nothing but doris day records. But evil. Was still there. This liberal avoidance of evil is something people in our faith tradition come by honestly. Unitarian universalist avoidance of the reality and the nature and the depth of human evil goes all the way back to one of our great heroes. Ralph. Waldo. Emerson. And the other idealistic transcendentalist. Who refused to theologically accept. The persons or societies had ontologically and within them within their basic human nature something. What are transcendentalist forebears believed and they were optimistic humanist out of the enlightenment. Was it because human beings were created they were sure by a good and loving god as i am persuaded. Divinely-inspired children. Possessed that godly essence of goodness. This ecorce theologically fluoride calvinism. Which persons and nature and society filled with wickedness and depravity needles. Optimistic you use over here saying. In his famous divinity school address delivered at the graduation of harvard divinity school in 1841 and widely reprinted in the around the world in america. Emerson proclaimed. That the universe is singularly ruled and defined and informed by god's overarching goodness and light not by the powers and principalities of darkness. Here are his actual words. The world is not the product of manifold power. Meaning manifold both god and devil. But if one will. Emerson said one mind. One mind is everywhere active. Each ray of the star in each wavelet of the pool. Good is positive evil is merely private event. That is not absolute. Like the cold which is simply the privation of heat. All evil emerson death. For all things proceed out of the same spirit gods. Which is differently named love justice and temperance. Rastaman seek gardens by the whole strength of his nature. That was quaint. As it may seem this rather stunningly positive theological and ontological nineteenth-century assertion. Good is real and that evil is merely the absence of god. Good light. Nonetheless continues to perform. Modern-day unitarian universalist thinking to this day. What everson was asserting almost 190 years ago years ago. Was in what has been optimistically echoed by countless you use since. Including perhaps. At least half of my colleagues today. Is it only good is real and powerful and ontologically present and that evil. Is instead of being a construct and a concrete reality within us. Is merely the absence of good merely the darkness that hasn't yet been chased away by us turning on more lights. You won't get this crucial. Theological distinction about not giving evil an ontological or a structural place within human nature it's crucial. It is crucial. It has led to huge problems. Many in the theological world say that unitarian universalist have an insufficient doctrine of sin. And that is most certainly true. It is lead real problems to us for that. We religious optimist optimist about human nature. Face holocaust and genocide and ethnic cleansing and. Heinous murders in our community. We have trouble. Coping. With the reality and the power of. Onelook. One needs to look no further. In this year 2012 than the headlines every day you read them. About the persistence of evil in human affairs. And again i just mentioned experience that what's happening in syria the evil of that government the evil of that leader. And the evil of the military. Which is. Continuing and here on the treasure coast. The paper has been filled with news of serial killer david allen gore governor scott has just signed the death warrant for. The death penalty is another issue. For another day. Evil. Presence. In our community. That man was. I don't know. What you think about evil but. But i believe in you. I believe it's real and i believe it's structured right into the. Universe and into us. While i do not understand a crucial distinction i do not believe there are evil people. Per se. That's a crucial caveat. I do believe there is evil in person. Well i do not believe there's an evil person per say i do believe there is evil. In person. And in communities. Indian society. And incorporation. And in all institutional structures including religious ones. And i believe there is evil and governments in nation. Core sending governmental programs. Policy. Pj economic or military or social i believe in evil. It is not. As emerson said. The mere absence of light. It is its own real ugly thing. Rooted deep down in the heart of human. It is its own. Real. Rooted. There i said it and the walls of this church haven't collapsed. You can theologically disagree with me of course. Perhaps. Some of you raised in this positive faith tradition of ours. Will argue with me. But i frankly don't think that if you and i together take a good hard long honest look at the shape of our world. And the shape of societies. And the nature of people in our myths that you'll be able to talk me out. Of my giving evil and ontological place within the human heart. And within the human enterprise now. Having said that. Did ice-t logically believe in evil i want to be very very clear something i do not believe in some sort of ancient cosmological konstrukt like. I found this particularly. Scary looking fellow on the web the web is wonderful you can find a picture of anything's dozens of pictures of lucifer. I chose this what i don't believe it is satanic somebody. Residing in the cosmos taking sides are pernicious lee picking at the human drama. I don't believe that. I try whenever possible to avoid. Criticizing. The religious beliefs of others. But i'm personally struck theologically dumb when someone tells me they believe in the devil is an actual personality. Roaming around our creation. Some of you were aware that. What are the presidential candidates rick santorum in 2008 war going on in the world. Between the forces of good and the forces of evil in the someone he calls the father of lies. Has targeted the united states quote. The father of lies has set his sights on the good decent powerful influential country us the united states of america. If you were satan. In this day and age. September horror masks. There is no one to go after other than the united states. Okay. Mister santorum of course can believe whatever he wishes. We might suggest as a politician he's better sticking to politics then to theology. Because. Unitarian theologian this doesn't make any sense. I don't believe in the devil. And this is terribly important to me what i've already said i don't believe there are evil. Yes. There are plenty of folks. To from time to time even systematically in their lives. Do evil things do terrible thing. But i do not believe they're evil people per se. That is being in creation. Who are inherently or fundamentally ontologically evil. Through and through the crucial distinction for me. Is acknowledging that there is evil a real thing in people and institutions and governments. While asserting there are no evil communities or people or institutions. If evil is a reality ontologically separate from persons themselves. If it's ontologically separate from people themselves another words if evil is in us not us. Let me try now to offer a concise one sentence definition. Of evil it's my own sentence it's probably inadequate and imprecise and probably. Too wordy. Evil is a very hard thing to quantify or define but i think evil can be summarized. Vaseline i'm going to have the quote put up on the screen behind you. A behind me. Evil. Is any volitional. Or willful act of human violence or disregard which persons either individually or corporately in groups communities or governments commit. Or allow. Which leads to the unnecessary destruction. Or substitute denigration diminishment or dehumanization. Of human person. And society. That is a. Closest i can come. To a working definition examples. Of that would be covered by this definition. Murder. Which destroys a human life. Assault battery rape. Which tea always dehumanize person these are all evil things of course. Physical psychological or sexual abuse weather of a child. Or spouse or another adult evil. Evil abuse is evil. Because it diminishes at the humanizes others. Torture. False or cruel imprisonment purposeful starvation. Terrorism genocide enslavement of which there is much still in our world. Forced migration of population. Just to name a few things that are perpetrated. Every year in the world. These are evil again because they dehumanize and diminish people. And there are many other painful and prevalent examples i could give or you could give evil. It's not only real in our world it is all too common it is all. To tolerated. Alright if. If i have you along with me so far theologically the. And agreeing at least. With me at some level. The evil is real and can be quantified and named and confronted. Particular human situation. The next thing i think we must immediately due to be honest and this is something i don't think mr centura has gotten his head around. Is it evil isn't just something out. There. It's something. In here. It's not just in other person. In other communities in other political thing. It's here in my play. Colfax it's here in me. It's here in my. Actions. Evil is something. We found in our own natures in our own instincts and actions in. Culture in our own. Tribes. The many things we perpetrate and allow in our society. Such as injustice and oppression and inequality. So again. Well i passionately believe there's no such thing as evil people or evil nations per say. We must nonetheless acknowledge that evil is right here in us. And around us. And in our midst. Several years ago my friend john curotto who is coming to be with you for most of the month that i'm away on my bike ride. 22b hunger. Which is going to be from april 22nd to may 22nd he's going to be here with us. You wrote this. In a sermon to his own congregation. Grosse pointe michigan. The primary violence. The violence you and i must recognize the violence we can do something about the violence we can spare the world from is a violence. Within each one of us. Evil is not trust. Out there. It's in here in each of us 2. We must recognize i am capable of violence as the overkiller. I am just as liable to have violent feelings violent thoughts violent wishes. That should help me understand the person who was unwilling or unable to control. Such inner violence. Enrico's on the nature of the killer. Like the nature of the lover. Is not a thing apart for mimi. Killer. Lover. Are all part of my human nature. In my human nature i have the stuff of poets and. Prophets and saints i have the stuff of manipulators. And slanderers and murderers. I am not in my basic human nature.. The better of any person. I may make choices better better or more judicious or just lucky. I will humbly accept the possibility of violence and of evil within. Me. And try to overpower it with the love. Which is also within. Me. Paul karns who was once president of the denomination. Said pretty much the same thing shortly. Steph. He wrote. Someone sent me a copy of the holocaust. A record of the death of six. Million jews under the nazi the mad slaughter of innocents. Only feel. The old anger in me return. But it's not the nazis. They could exist only because of something deep within human nature. Humanity to man paul road. It would be comforting if we can believe they did. Then we could forget. Denver much of our history the only good indian. Wizard. The fact is. There's a lot of cruelty. In all of us. I have found that there are lots of people especially here in america we're ready and willing to say there's such a thing as evil out there in the world and other person. That seems to be. One of the messages of many. Candidates. Few. Are theologically and psychologically mature and honest enough to acknowledge the potential and responsibilities for evil. Resides within each one of us in our individual natures. And similarly the potential for evil also resides. In the structures of community and government. Within which we participate. And the economy. Which we. Allowed to have vast and painful inequalities. My colleague rodger fritz who's now serving them the sarasota carnation across the peninsula. Describe this process of cycle light is psychological concept of splitting. Listen to the way he put it. In psychology splitting. Refers to our tendency to few people as all good or all bad. In splitting the world bad we idealize the good people as heroes we demonize the bad people. We see them as enemies extreme splitting. People see no. Gray area no in-between no. No middle ground. This. Is the way. Rodger says to organize what is otherwise a very complicated. And complex world. The splitting psychological process. Give structure and organizations to our lives. It gives us purpose and direction in a clear identity it protects us. From the feelings of anxiety that just read the letters to the editor in the press journal. Just read this morning's they might be i said they want to make me throw up because that's a. Quote that the presidential candidate use recently. They split. Everybody thinks like me it's good. Everybody stinks like. Them. Osama bin laden before his death. In that one of his famous speeches said. There's only. 2 ways to see the world there. Two camps. Good and the bad. That's exactly what our president. You either with us or. Put the world make it simple. Don't think about. Complexity. The point i'm making about evil. Is individually and collectively americans if we are ever to develop a mature and honest understanding of evil. We must understand our own capacity and complicity in the structures and actions of evil. Americans are not very smart. When it comes to facing their own participation in what is wrong. We are guilty of that. We are not very smart. And we never faced it. In ourselves at least. Its own conclusion. This unitarian universalist believes in evil. Every morning in the newspaper i see it all to presently out there. In my world. I read the sad stories of genocide and i and i. I feel very badly about it. But. As unitarian-universalist unlike emerson i also believe. The evil is in me. And didn't you. And in the very nature of life. And the structures of life that we allow and create. But i am not a pessimist. About the human future this said i'm not a pessimist for even though i see the power. And the reality of evil in our midst and in my mist i also. And more potently believe in the potential of human kind for good and kindness and compassion that isn't much in my view stronger. Part of our human nature more deeply rooted reality in us and in our societies. That evil is. I can't of course prove this. This is a statement of faith of mine that goodness is stronger than evil and larger force in our lives i can't. Prove this it is simply. A face that i have. Indian hair worth and dignity of person. And in the potential of societies and structures we create. My faith is in the power and the presence. Of our powerful. Powerful capacity. For goodness. Yes. Human evil is real. And it's powerful. And it's here to stay and regardless of what progress we make on our planet. Passionately believe we will make progress. We will never of course entirely eradicated. It's just. 2. Powerful thinking maybe that's what the ancients met when they. Created this idea of the devil they just had to give it some sort of embodiment and say it's not going to go away i don't know. But. As our unitarian universalist forebears i believe our human volition for good. Are human volition for good. Is much stronger. Then our weakness. For evil. Yes i know pessimism is easy these days i read the morning newspapers and i. Watch. The evening news. And the list of human failures and cruelty is lawn. By any measure these are violent. And discouraging times on our planet. And this is a moment in human history when we might. Be able to be tempted to doubt the balance of good and evil. Fulton persons and in society. But regardless of how the balance at any one particular time might seem. And regardless of whether or not i'm even right. That human beings are more inclined to good them to evil. There is always something we as a people of love and hope can do. No more than ever the world needs those who are ready to name and confront evil both within themselves and within others to see it as very close to home. No more than other but more than ever the world needs men and women who are ready. Ready to lend their stubborn. Ounce of weight. To the side of human goodness. That's what the world needs those of us were willing and ready to lend. Are stubborn ounces. To the side. Of course. Even in discouraging times. We are free to live out of our charity. Out of our compassion out of our goodness in. Decimus out of our natural and yes emerson was right godly goodness for we are children of. We are always free to live. From that side of the equation. Never doubt. The power. Presents. Of the good within you. And live. Fully and finally from that. Always fully.

uufvb_org

08Nov2009sermon128kbs.mp3

uufvb_org

2013May05Sermon128.mp3

And welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach a place of love but then again all of vero beach this week is a place of love. Y'all are all gay or straight black or white or latino whether you are feeling on top of the world this morning or down in the dumps or somewhere in between we are delighted to see you just as you come to us. This morning we hope you will find our service meaningful and then rinsing and that you will find something here this morning that nourishes your spirit and feeds your soul and gives you renewed energy and joy for the living of life in the days and weeks ahead. Together and worship. As a beloved community we are called to set aside distractions. And anxieties that we might touch deep springs here. And be renewed. We are call to seek and to share comfort. For the hertz that afflict. We are called here to desire more love. More justice. And life more abundant. We are called to truth. To mercy. Humility and courage. Let us answer the call. With the yes. Of our lives. Morning but you're located in your orders of service and on the screens above. We are all here to grow in wisdom and learn how to love better. In our own ways we slowly become a blessing to those around us and a light to the world. American humorist and essayist. I finished six pillows in needlepoint and i'm reading jane austen and kant and i'm up to the porch with black beans in advance chinese cooking. I don't have to struggle to find myself or i already know what i want. I want to be healthy and wise and extremely good-looking i'm learning new glazing pottery class and i'm saying you chords on the guitar and then yoga i started to master the lotus position. I don't have to plan to priorities for i already know what they are to be good looking healthy and wise and adored in addition. I'm improving my serve with a tennis pro and i'm practicing bird tortoise and greek and i process my childhood issues with my therapist. I don't have to ask what i'm looking for since i've already know that i seem to be good looking healthy and wise and adored and contented. Ibloom in organic gardening and anti of tighten my thighs and then my women's group i'm known as the best listener and i'm working all day and i'm working all night to be good looking healthy and wise and adored a contented and brave and well-read and a marvelous hostess and fantastically organized. Well this morning. I conclude yes i know it's taking me awhile but i concluded my 2013 seasonal sermon series on the 7th. Heavenly virtues and the seven deadly sins so that the caller that's slick back i like it sends a choose. Identified many centuries ago by the early christian church. Today i am with the seventh and final installment of the human duality. Diligence and slaw. No answer i fell down in my introduction to each of the six earlier sermons in the series. I haven't explored but i think it's the creative spiritual emotional and moral tension between these seeming poor human officers were identified.. What consistently strikes me as i reflect on these seemingly oppositional sets of virtues and vices. Is not how is the early church fathers seem to think they stand in stark and absolute moral contrast to one another but rather. Brotherhood reply. Interrelated interconnected they are realized open put the virtues we are looking at aren't all that virtuous. And the sims aren't all that simple. It would be nice i suppose. If all we had to do it or live to be good and healthy and only human being. What's the scrupulously live out of the virtual side of the equation and is to the sand on the bison side. But. I am persuaded that life and even more our human nature. Is much more complicated than that. So what i've done in the sermon series is to try to gently deconstruct if you will the simple dualistic notion that the early church fathers said. And replace that dualism with a more nuanced. And realistic understanding of what am i think it means to be human. Alright so let's take a look at this spinal care of human qualities that have been set against each other as virtue and vice. Diligence. That's law. No i think we all understand what is commonly understood by the virtue of diligence but one online source define diligence this phone. Diligence is the earnest. Conscientious application of our energy. It's having a decisive work ethic. When we are diligent what's. Jumped ahead there. I'm not used to the bulb headlight when we are diligent. We pay careful attention to detail. Energetic gave it to achieving quality results. This means that we are continually working toward our goals. Making use of what resources and opportunities are available we are diligent we are vigilant to avoid errors and just stay focused on the task at hand. Our diligence provides a basis for people trusting us. What's the job that are tricky or complicated. And also important to them. And then this last line. Villages does not. Relion account. But employees rather commitment. Industry and perseverance. To transform vision into reality. Whether we are talking about an employee of the job. A retiree volunteer volunteering at a nonprofit agency. Apparent caring for a child at home. Or any one of us really going about almost any task that requires attention in life. With almost any task we have in our daily lives diligence which is focus and perseverance and organization and discipline. Is of course a wonderful and useful quality to possess. Diligence if we could help us get things done completely correctly on time it is a quality of being and doing the knee and makes life easier and more pleasant for us. And everyone arundel. Let me speak personally just for a moment. I know that in my own life diligent is a characteristic ic2 reflect that exhibit in almost everything i do. For example in my work is your minister i hope to complete every professional tasks. Writing sermons. Preparing worship. Supervising staff helping the board of trustees to manage this institution responding to emails and phone calls making hospital and pastoral visits doing outreach and service in our community as your minister i hope to engage in every one of these aspects of my work. With as much diligence and care as i'm capable. Obviously. Indeed i want to bring diligence to all the dimensions and relationships of my life. To my life is a partner of collins. As a member of my extended family. As a player in my wide circle of friends. A poem of a property owner. How does a citizen of our wider community nation the world i want to bring just as much discipline. An organized hardwork excellent to my daily life as i can. And diligence really pays off doesn't it. Regardless of how smart or talented we may or may not be in room at the definition of diligence i shared earlier rightly points out it does not. Depends on calendar. Through sheer effort diligence helps us to bring the full weight of our human potential.. Just think about all the diverse past the required of us by daily living maintaining our homes and gardens. Doing the house cleaning and laundry. Planning and preparing meals and activities for ourselves that our family. Keeping our personal records that's one i really hate paying the bills i hate it. Keeping up with emails other correspondents staying in touch with family and friends when we go up on her daily rounds with diligence and discipline everything does come out then. And if you don't that just look at what results when someone lacks diligent. Amused through their days in an imitative haphazard sloppy lazy or a different way. Chaos and difficulties almost always result. My father wendell buses hard at a rather clumsy way of chiding his sons to always be diligent boy he would always solidly in tone when we were facing some family cast let's not do an alexander half-ass here. My dad of course was right. And i thank him for instilling in me the read the ready aspiration of diligence. Trust me if you are incapable of regularly being diligent and discipline that you move through your life. You will leave a wake of an adequate incomplete and incompetent actions that will make a mess of things. And cause others to think lesson. I think the camino del that diligence is clearly a virtue. The ancient church fathers were right that we all need that we all need this group lessly cultivate. And nurture in our daily lives. As with all the other virtues i was flooring in the series. This obvious for jupiter taken too far. If not constrained by common sense. If treated as an end in itself. It can turn itself of course and you will buy it. It is something sinister which no longer enhance azur enriches our humanity. There's clearly such a thing in my judgment. Has too much diligence. Too much highly focused work and effort in that goes by the simple name of work a hall ism. Which is a joyless addiction i think and slavish habit to overworking. That can rob you of a balanced healthy and satisfying life. Weather at the office. School or church or home if you do not have healthy boundaries. Drawn around the amount of labor and effort and attention you give to whatever tasks arkan. Clearly you can't allow your wife to spin out of all balance proportion and joy is fight how people may reward you for that older work. The last congregation nicer was in suburban washington dc. And it was a classic. High expectation inside-the-beltway institution in our nation's capital filled i can tell you. With highly educated. Hard-charging and ambitious federal corporate and nonprofit executives i had a bassador i had guys who ran the ims of kennedy and johnson i had some and bathroom okay. For my 12 years of ministry there i worked with countless men and women most of them in their thirties forties and fifties. So serious about their work and career so tethered they do their job they would routinely leave home in the morning well before life with their children still asleep in their beds. Ed return whole return home at night well after dark. Barely able tuck their kids in the data before the cobbled together a quick lousy dinner and crashed themselves into bed. I preached regularly that congregation about the saving habits. Slowing down at balancing work. With family and leisure asleep and recreation and personal time. I said give yourself before you kill yours. Similarly i am known ministerial colleague so wrapped up. In the villages and duties and demands of parish ministry. That they have literally worked themselves to death. I know these hard-driving visibly productive ministers thought they were doing the world a favor. By being so hard-working so on the job so diligent. But all they really are positively succeeded in doing was robbing the world of their talents and excellence. So obviously like almost every good thing in life. Diligence which is clearly a virtue can be taken too far. And when it can have deadly consequences on our bodies. And on our souls and probably everyone here knows some workaholic. That is the case. Unless we arrived at the second all-important half of this morning equation the so-called sin of sloth now here is an actual flop and now you know where the word comes from which i'm sure you know is a slow-moving. Read willing mammal found in the jungles of central and south america species. And here is a human version of the same thing a lazy couch swelling mammal found all over north america usually with a tv remote in his hand. The first thing you must do i think it's trying to understand the very real danger of allowing jennings lost to infiltrate and diminish our live is do not confuse law. Which all the fighting on the moment not confuse it with idleness organ activity. Log was not the understood as it often isn't common parlance it can't be misunderstood as physical or even mental inactivity. Like this couch potato guy chilling out idly surfing the endless channels of the great america wasteland 2 commercial television with apparently no drive and vision discipline diligence or focus that's what american television. As a firm again and again to them as i did firm again begin to the post i served in hard-driving washington dc i will say this to all of you whether you are working or retired young or old employed or unemployed. Everybody. Every stage of one's life. But a fiercely regular basis need to balance work with leisure activity with inactivity. Diligence with idols otherwise our lives spin out of control in a grey fog of frenzy. My merriam-webster dictionary define leisure as quo. Freedom or spare time provided by the cessation of activities. Free time is the result of temporary exemption from work or duties time at one's own command leisure-time and one's own command and spree of engagements and responsibilities one's own time miriam puts it at one's own convenience and final word. My colleague will saunders suggested if we're to be healthy and balanced human being quote. We must know how to be idle. To let go of work and it's corollary buying and spending. We need to to relieve ourselves. Activities that cause worry. Paying bills. Prepare tax return. Make a list of things to do in the coming week. We need to waste time you write on the pleasure of being with friends and family the delight of simply enjoying the world we need to set aside leisure time. To renew our relationship. Nature. And with god. Seizure. To renew a relationship. God and nature and one another. I am here the store this morning too diligently tell you that there is nothing sinful. About eyewitness. Indeed idleness the regular process of intentionally not working. Not doing. Is a precious habit and life-saving berger that you must structure. In the very fabric of your daily life. For your long-term supply. Genuine. survivalist. The blessed state of not working i'm not i'm not i'm not. These times storace. It was juvenate body mind and spirit. And the neighbor wants to leave happy harmonious and wholesome water. When we wisely and regularly choose to structure periods of idleness into our lives. We are not a some workaholics imagine wasting our time. Rather we are busy about the business of creating. Realspace. Real-time and real energy i'm calm. For life as it was meant to live to be livid. Creative purposeful idleness. Each day is about wisely making rum in your mind and body and soul for the kind of attentive mindfulness. That allows you to be fully present and then later productive in this amazing world of art. I would suggest to you that this guy may not be wasting his time he's actually even though it may not look like it you soulfully recharging his batteries. Bothering whatever. So idleness. Is not swab. But rather of vital spiritual skill. That opens us to whole new ways of being. Listen please do this wonderful poem by cape cod poet mary oliver she was my neighbor in provincetown actually. Her cut her ponytail from the summer day. It is simply a powerfully affirms the holy roll which idleness. Can you play in our spiritual lies oliver is describing an ordinary summer day. When she had the spiritual wisdom to go outside and her in your yard. Slow down and noticed the sacred dance of life around her including. A large grasshopper. But had landed right in front of. He was the poem. Who made the world. Who made. And the blackberry. Who made the grasshopper. This grasshopper i mean. The one who was flung herself out of the grass the one who is eating sugar out of my head. Who were the moving her jaws. Back and forth instead of up and down who is pleasing around with hurting normal. And complicated by. No she lives her pail forearm. Electorally washes her face. No she snaps her wings open. And plus away. I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention. How to fold down into the grass help you kneel down in the grass. How to be idle. And blessed. How to stroll through the fields which is what i have been doing all day. Tell me what else should i have done. Doesn't everything die at last. And too soon. Tell me. What is your what do you plan to do. With your one wild. Until idleness. Because of its inherent spaciousness. And called opens us to a mindful and healing window on the world. This is not a sin but rather a holy necessity for a life well and richly lid. And i would remind you on this first sunday of may cycling to mi. Summer. The warm and gentle season which is made seams. For leisure and idleness it's made for hammocks. In backyards and sitting by oceans and rivers and mountains. Summer is about to break over us and all of its language hospitality and welcome so please make sure you don't. Overburden yourselves with work at activity over the next quarter of the year. Promise me. You'll be idle. Much. Except. Indeed. If you are looking for a sip. But has the power to drive us away. From life and love. And relationships enjoy. If you're looking for a sim try too much work. Try workaholism try. A perpetual 24/7 live. Of diligence and drudgery in world. That is a sin against the gift. Diligence. Industry. Work. Drive this away from the rich tapestry of life on this earth. I hope it's on the other hand allows those fresh breezes of life. Around you and through you and heal you. And so. If law. Is my idol. And it's not in activity or not even physical laziness like the guy sitting on the couch is not those things. Then what is a 12-month the deadly sin is more like the ancient greek word for it acedia. What you mean. Indifference. Negligence. Lack of care. It means spiritual and emotional apathy in your life that's. 2 degrees. The city all human being. Monster boy. What's the spiritual form of absolute indifference toward or boredom with. Your life it was a kind of sluggishness of soul. Is a falling out of love with life. Gifts of god. Author dorothy sayers amplifies this view. What is doubtful poisoning of the will. When you beginning with indifference and an attitude of i could care less. Extend in your life. The deliberate refusal of joy. And culminates she writes in morbid introspection and despair. It is the refusal to be moved by the contemplation of the good and the beautiful. And that disillusionment is known it is known as. This is why and her and his. Classic and very harsh allegory about how the various sinners from earth. Will be punished in the descending rings of hell for all eternity that dante. The 14th century italian poet. Do those with them sloth. Doom those who headed a different for the gift of this life while they had them. He has them gurgling joyously in black mud. You look worn the ring of hell. Forever withdrawn forever unable to see the richness in the beauty of the world because they're simply meijer. Is bladder mud. Here and dante's old words. Is what dante is companions see when they arrive at the fourth ring of hell. Beneath the slimy top. Are cited souls who make these waters bubble at the surface their eyes will tell you this just look around. In the slime they say. Sluggish we were in the suite are made happy by the sun and the smoke of sloth was smoldering in our hearts. And that dante says now we lie sluggish here in this black muck. This is the him that girdle in their throats. But i cannot sing in the words that truly sound. Literally did not have much sympathy for those. For the difference to the gift of life that we all have is that they posted. In the sweet are made happy by the sun. They refused to sweet hair. Dave happy birthday son. So if you fall victim to the deadly phillips law. The spiritual malady of having fallen out of love with life. And its many gifts you're living you or two. Toledo life withdrawn. And then different and gray. A life in the body. Listen to the way my friend will saunders from now lives in portland maine describe. A friend of his that he thought was very slothful. He lacks drive and ambition will rights of this guy. Is uninvolved in life. He looks larger disconnected life is just something that. Happens to him. He does not pay attention. His life is marked by a lack of creativity. Thoughtfulness care concern for others and any sense of connection between who he is. And what he does and the world beyond little cocoon. His wife is dry and empty. He is in fact spiritually dead. And then saunders goes on to say. The sin of sloth. Is the lost of one's spiritual roaring. Getting living in a spiritual vacuum that manifests itself and despondency. Wawa. Is a morbid inertia of the soul. What is that way of life which avoids engagement with and presents in the world. Alamo story stairs describes the tragic outcome of a bit differently listen to these words. Life is a sim belleza nothing. Cares for nothing. Enjoys nothing. Hey stuffing find purpose in nothing lives for nothing and remains alive only because there's nothing for which it will die. Alright. I certainly hope that all of you will agree this love again define as a spirit deadening indifference and apathy and negligence to record for license division. The floss is a spiritual and emotional tragedy of the drawl isolation and alienation we have to avoid. As i have said many times from this poll. I take it on faith that we human beings were not put on this earth. To live her life out in some sort of gray unsatisfying isolation no. We were made for hot and holy engagement. Full satisfying relationships for interchange and dialogue with everything in and around us. I thought you returned at the end of the sermon. Can a curious but i hope spiritually. Useful doubling back for the heavenly virtue. Diligent. I take it as a matter of spiritual, instead. That all relationships and interactions with value in life every venue of our life. Require discipline detention and spiritual emotional diligence and effort. If those relationships. R2. Violently make us joyful. I believe each and every one of us is called by a defense minority-owned lifeforce not to be passive bumps on a log. The brother is diligent and purposeful. Join your people really engaged in our world right or at office. Surely if ours are spiritual duty as human being is to never allow ourselves to become indifferent to the blessings in the opportunity. And the gifts that are so profligately laid before us everyday we wait we are not maintenance. We are made to get off our butts. Engaged what we got. So we have to diligently kenda relationship. With our bodies. Diligently 10 to the relationship with her own mind stimulating them with beating him fallout. Time for deep pools of reflection within ourselves. And we have to deal with it leak and our relationship with the natural world around us opening our eyes and ears hands and heart. With mindfulness to what is around us. We must diligently 10. The relationships with our life partners. Houses of children. Grandchildren may put our family loved ones in our friends engaging to pay attention to. We must diligently can do our relationships the many human communities large and small we find ourselves in we can't have in splendid isolation. We have facilities because our relationships. Another state. No matter where we turn in our lives to realize that relationships at least the ones that really matter. Require a lot of amazing. Intelligent and caring. And that diligence and care inevitably blesses us and leads us back to the place where our own lives or less. The early church fathers who called sloth a deadly sin did have it right. None of us can afford in this life to be spiritually and emotionally lazy in our relationship. Lest we slip into that. Blackmod. Boca. Let me see this one last time. You and i were not made. What's 2 /. Or indifference. For isolation. We were made out of the miracle that is our human being for engagement. An interchange and excitement we are relational human being we are hot-wired. Primordial soup. Hotwire. In the primordial soup. For love or passion and purposeful is. Connection in caring for mindfulness and present. That's why every day we must diligently avoid slot. Sneaky ways it seeks to slither in it. Show me the real life. Until today. Is first sunday in the merry month of may in the year 2013. I asked that you be here. That you fully be here that you not be spiritually lazy. In the rich tapestry of the life. That is yours. Open your eyes and your heart fully. The world around you. Cultivate 18 mindfulness. Old presents here. Spinning oracle hurley. Work your relationship. Great small exercise your engagement and it hasn't been nerves are all connections of heart and hand. Including the never-ending demands of justice and hope. People everywhere. And in so doing it. The little lioness. In the usual slot. Is that holy relational fraud. And the robust and saving fullness of being or rigid you. Has a remarkable human being were made in that in that holy relational fluff you will find. Everything. I leave you with a poem by gwendolyn brooks. This is the urgency. Have your blooming in the noise of the whirlwind. All about are the cold places. All about are the pusherman and jeopardy theft. All about are the stormers and scramblers. But what must our season be. Which starbucks from here. Liv and go out. Define and medicate the whirlwind. It is lonesome yes. For we are the last of the law. Nevertheless live. Conduct your blooming. Illinois. And the whip. Of the world.

uufvb_org

2012Nov25Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday this week and we're glad that so many of you are with us this morning. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach florida. And know that you're welcome just as you come to us and all of your particularity and charm whether you are young or old. Gay or straight. Black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. Whether you are feeling on top of the world this morning or somewhat down in the dumps or in between. Know that you are welcome just as you come to a. We hope you'll find our service meaningful and enriching this morning you'll find something here. That nourishes your spirit. And feed your soul and gives you renewed energy and. Zest for living. Life in the days and weeks ahead. Good morning. Good morning. We are gathered here to share this our together. For my opening words. Which precedes yours. I would like to share with you something we used to recite almost every sunday morning. Our bond of union. In a sense it is our covenant to and with each other. And covenants. Should be set on loud. 2 and wiz. Each other. So i am asking you to join me in saying this morning's opening words. Some of you may know it by heart. But i suspect that most of you dumb. I do. George's printed in your order service. Or maybe projected. On the screens behind me. But speaking is not all i ask of you this morning. I also asked you. To listen. Bora bora island of union is what holds us together. Despite all our differences. That is what reassures us. It was mutual trust. Mutual commitment. Our mutual faith. We can be stronger when we are together. Then we can ever be. Bayar so. If you are a visitor please do not feel news. Recite our bond of union with us. Although i hope. You will at least. Listen. Our bond of union please join me. Reunite. To dedicate ourselves. Of individual and social life. Do all religion. We believe in reason and conscience. End of the neverending search. Truth. We believe in the ethical application of our religion. And the motivation of love. Expecting the worst. Dignity. Of others. A little over 10 years ago. I presented a sermon while we're still on 43rd avenue. Entitled. Why go to church. I'm are aware that while some of you heard that presentation. None of you. Remember what i said. Neither do i. This morning. I am asking that same question again. Only this time. I'm providing an answer for you to ponder. As you try to provide your own answer. To my question. As i get older i find myself slowing down physically. Which means i have more. Time than i used to. For low-energy frills. Like reading. But because i am also getting lazier. I find that most of the stuff i read is pure. Escapism. Junk. I find it. Lexus me. Because my mind. Doesn't have to work. But it also means. But when i read some words that make sense. I am unlikely to remember where i read them. Or who wrote them. One such phrase struck me this past summer. The unknown author stated. And i quote. A man cannot learn much. While his mouth is open. As i listen to all the pre-election battle. I've come to realize how profoundly right he or she. Was. Does anyone ever listen critically to anyone else. Anymore. It is obvious to me that politicians don't. And i'm dubious about most broadcaster. But how about the rest of us. Do we. Henley. Really. Listen. Do what someone else. Is saying. Too often this fall different listeners to the same speaker would report that he had said totally different. Sing. Clearly people did not hear. What the speaker said. They heard what they wanted. To hear him say. Which indicates that most of the listeners. Had previously established a political bias. That they wanted the speaker. To support. Not. Is what they hurt. Almost nothing in our american culture or educational experience. Demands us to listen carefully. And critically. And because people heard different things. There was unnecessary albeit understandable. Confusion. Misunderstanding. End. Country. Let's face it. To listen carefully is not. Easy. And almost every mode of our modern communication. Places a premium. Unspeaking glibly. And listening. Distracted. And yet. The ability to hear what is spoken or read what has been written. Is fundamental. The learning process. It was part of what we used to call critical thinking. But i fear that that concept. Is rather past say. These days. To listen. Or not to listen. That should not be a question. Nearly 70 years and education of convinced me that you cannot confirm or refine your own ideas effectively. Unless you share them with others. And then. Are willing to listen carefully. So their responses. And especially. To their criticism. This i am sure is part of my scientific training. Because this kind of peer review. Which is what it is. Is that the very basis. Of the extraordinary strength. Of the scientific process. But of course sharing means taking a risk. Because others may disagree with you. But it is precisely from such disagreement. That your ideas. Can be refined. So as you defend your own points of view. Remember. Did your critics deserve your respect. Were they to have dignity and worth. So listen to them. With care. They may be out of touch with the reality you are professing. But maybe. Just maybe. They are seeing a reality that is a little deeper. Then was your own. And when that is so. You have that wonderful opportunity. To learn something new. Unhinged to grow. And here is where this fellowship. Becomes part of my question. Where is this this congregation. Not just the church. That provides us all with something very special. A community of thoughtful. But diverse people. Or not just willing but possibly eager. The share. To share ideas and experiences and yes concerns and. Conclusion. Sahara up change my question a little bit. Snot. Play go to church. Is why become part of this community. 4 uus bb is not a place or a building it is a community. A wonderful human being. So let me restart my argument. But this time with a presumption. Someone once said. You can't learn very much from people. Or just like yourself. It must be true. Because i said it. I throw that in here because it's suggested being part of just any group. It's not enough. It must be a diverse group. And while that fits nicely into our fundamental concepts of democracy. It is proven overtime to post serious question. On just how. To ensure diversity. In groups like student bodies. Town subdivisions. Agencies. And yes. Congregation. Let me explain. By giving an example. I never attended the episcopal church. And i joined the episcopal church. In exeter new hampshire. I attended it. For many years. Because i love the music. And i my wife and my three children. We're half the choir. But conversations. Elastic congregation was all just to homogeneous. Which means that they spotted with predictable emphasis. On all the same interpretations. Of the religious message of the service. For the prospects of the patriots. Red sox. What a sad state. A contemporary. Human morality. I seldom heard. Passionate disagreements. About much of anything. And as a consequence almost the only thing i learned at church those years. We refute ranch from the book of common prayer. And impatience. Know if you want to learn it's almost imperative. Did you exchange ideas with those who differ from yourself. And then listen. Really listen. Do what they have to say. In response. But listening is not always easy. Because first you have to put yourself in a frame of mine that can expect and then accept. Criticism. And disagreement. If you accept our worth and dignity of every person principal. Then even negative responses. Would stimulate you to further thought. And that in itself. Is a prerequisite fart. The learning process. Not my friend is really hot i. Come to this fellowship. I come to be part of this group of people. It is the baskin this community of thoughtful. Loving giving friends. All seeking to learn and to grow. And to put their beliefs to work. Ford major societal goals. And the future. So now my question is no longer just about this church is also about this entire. Close. Community. I said close. Not close. And that expands. The picture. Considerably. Because now i'm talkin about all of the ways. In which we as individuals. And iraq. Our services park. Well that interaction. It's the formal part. But there is so much more. Coffee hours. Fourth fridays covenant group. Committees. Antone hall. Speaker series and yes. For some of us. There is even a choir. So now i've expanded my focus significantly because now i am asking you about why you come to events many of which don't even take place. Here in this church complex. And some of which may not even be directly related. Do our own religious. Observation. Like northeast cluster seminar. Choir festival. And let's not leave out circle dinners. Where some of the most personal conversations take place. Accompanied by some of the best food to be found. On the treasure coast. So i'm no longer asking you why you are i come to church i am asking yuri should immerse ourselves. In the whole on-going life. Of this entire fellowship. Community. And my answer is still. T'learn. So you might ask just what did i learn this month. If anything. Here's one example. Has nothing to do with a wonderfully challenging sermons. Or the stories for all ages or our liturgy. But surprise surprise if you know me at all. It does have to do. With our music. As you know i sing a lot. I also i'm a leper. As you know i sing a lot. I do not apologize because so much of my religious life with you is in the music. We share here together. And if you have listened to my. Any of my past presentation. You should already know that what i hear when we sing. Is not just. What is printed on a page. In a handle. Insa. It is the sum total. Of my experiences. But i associate. With the music. I'm singing. Case in point. Hymn number 118. The me that is not just a bunch of notes. Called finlandia. I mean know that our accompanist is playing a piano. But what i hear. Is the whole boston symphony orchestra under serge koussevitzky. Because that's where i first heard. And fell in love. With this glorious feast of music. And the setting is. Vero beach. But the russian finnish war when an army of thousands but an army of millions. Dewey standoff. The shores of lake. The gold logo. Finland. Show for me. M318 covers a vast age. Aviv major events that have nothing to do. With what is in our hymnal. And which may mean nothing. Anyone. Other than myself. So that. Was a him i've heard many many times over many many years but i've never heard it sung in quite the way. Our new director of music. Had a singing. That first rehearsal. With him here. It was the first time i was witness. The metamorphosis of a hymn. Into an anthem. So that sunday experience made 318 a whole new experience for me. For one thing. As i said it was our first anthem under tom's direction. So i was excited to hear how he might ask us. Just sing it. And i was right. He did not simply let us sing. What was on. The printed page. He pushed us and crescendos here or decrescendo was there and had his repeat a b at the end. Which added a compelling finale. So that beautiful melody. And if you know finlandia well enough you may recall that sebelius did not end with that lovely melody either. At least. Not quite. He ends the tone poem with a fanfare creep rise of some dozen-or-so notes. Taken from that dreadful melody. But appended. With triumph. Power. And that. Is how tom ask. Choir just singing. In short he lifted that him right off. Sterile pee. No. I doubt tom ever heard boston symphony orchestra. Undershirts. Nowitzki. And i doubt. There's a chair. The underdog. Besides lake ladoga. He'd been born yet. So he never hurt. What i did. But i may not have heard everything. He did. And my point is that what tom and i heard was different. Because our experiences. I've been different. And that's what made that anthem significant. For me. He made me hear something new. And that change what i heard when we sang it again. A few weeks ago. The point of this example is that had i not made a snap decision. Delete my wife at home resting. And come to church that sunday. I would never have heard that anthem sung that way. And for me that means that i would have missed. Eric tribble opportunity. To learn something new. Thank you tom. For having given me that opportunity. And thank you choir. For sharing it with me. Between the two of them. They've helped me prove my own point. To myself. I come to this fellowship. To learn. So. How can we maximize our opportunity to learn through our presence in this community of friends. Or simply coming to the farmer weekly services. Isn't enough. The given take from sharing must come from other parts. Of our life together. And one obvious. Other park. Is our coffee. That's a wonderful opportunity.. To open doors meet new faces. And become comfortable. With each other. It's a wonderful. Social time. But the real exchange of ideas and dreams. Will probably come at other times. The town hall. Committees first fridays. And so on. And yep. Your calendar is beginning to fill up. With opportunities. But white. Let's take a closer look. Consider town hall. My recollection is that every time i've attended a town hall. It has been pretty much the same two dozen or so people. In attendance. No i know that sunday lunches important. But town hall or should be. Used almost exclusively. Four issues of major general concern. To the fellowship as a whole. Conflict may keep many of us from attending. But i am reasonably confident that more of us could to tendon. Then currently do. Why don't. Think on this the next time you are asked. Your opinion on some issue. And you start to say but i didn't know anything about it. Pause and ask yourself. Why didn't i know. About. What answer is. It's somewhat rhetorical question is to place the blame on for. Communication. And we doing that. 4 years. But. When communication fails. Is it the sender. That is always at fault. Or is it the fault. Of the receiver. Communication can only work. If you and i. Help. And one way to help it. Is to listen. Careful. Look at our community. Committee structure. All congregations have committees. And we are no exception. Believe me. In our case both the minister and the president. Are explicitly ex-officio members. Of most committees. But with general approval all members are friends are invited to sit in. On committee meeting. If they wish. So why is it. Didn't all my settings. I have almost always been. The only sit in present. Except for those. Invited specifically. Do attend. To provide special. Information. For the committee. No i don't expect too many of you to sit in on a lot of committees believe me. That's fun. But keep in mind. That you have that right. It is part of our effort for an openness. And accountability. A lot can be learned about this organization and its members. By sitting in. Endless witnessing the give-and-take. And our committee meeting. And this is. Where the listening part of my thesis. This morning. Fits in. You are free to sit in and listen as much or as little as you want. Or feel you can. But there is such a wealth of opportunities here that you will have to pick and choose as fits your personal. And that means going a little out of your own private ways. If you want to make the most. Of what this fellowship. Offers. Let me give another example of something i've learned. Well. Preparing this. Presentation. A few weeks ago. I walked out. In the middle of a choir rehearsal. It wasn't the first time i'd want to do. And it probably won't be for what. And no i did not walk out. Feist dog. I've been sitting singing in coral group for over 70 years. But as some of you know i do not read music. Those little black and white notes on the page try to tell me what the sing. But i do not understand. Their language. To know what they are telling me i must first hear. The music. Then. After i've heard it. Those little notes are enough to remind me. So i can sing what they want me. Just sing. Oh i get them wrong it's time that's my choir neighbor. Until you. But at least what i sing is almost always. In the proper harmony. All of which means that i have to hear what our director is saying or playing. If i am to learn the music. And that is not easy. When others around me during rehearsals. Humming. Work parking. Or telling jokes. As a result sometimes i lose my patience. And that once a few weeks back. I simply blew up. And stalked out. And yes. It's happened before another choral groups. And yes will probably happen here again. As well. But these past weeks. I've had to skip choir. To the point that i have occasionally set where you are now sitting. And to my surprise. The choir sounded fine. How could that be. Despite all the distracting chatter at rehearsals.. So upsets me. They all seem to know the right notes. Just sing. Apparently the distractions that so bothered me over the years. Did not bother them. And that means. That my impatience over our noisy rehearsal. Has been misplaced. Is. Choirs problem. It's mine. Problem. Instead of blowing up at them i should have been blowing up at myself all these years. Because i have been unable or unwilling. To learn enough about reading music. So that i like the rest of the choir. Could understand the language. Those little black and white notes. On the peak. Will this new understanding. But myself. Make me less likely to stalk out again. I hope so. But frankly i doubt it. I'm pretty old. Inset my ways. In conclusion. There i still ask you. Why do you. Come to this fellowship. Yes i dare. But i do not ask for your answer. Immediately. I ask you please to ponder the question. And try to answer. For yourself. Now if you asked me why i come to this fellowship my answer is simple. I come to learn. I come to learn how to be a whole. More responsible loving and effective. Human being. The services are part of it. Weather liturgy. The passionate words of our minister and yes the music. But mostly. I come here to learn about myself. And then to be. Myself. And these are things i learned mostly. From you. From all. Love you. Here i have new opportunities to learn every time any of you and i gather together to talk. And hence. To share. And yes. As you must have noticed. I tend to listen. Far more than i speak. All of you have far more to give me. That i could possibly give. To you. So i listen. Those opportunities to learn are your gift to me. And i hope that by listening and occasionally speaking. Those opportunities can also be part of my gift. Do you. Show me. For all who seek god. May god go with you. Brawl who embrace life. Met life. Return your affection. Furoshiki right path. May away be found. And the courage to take it. Step. By step. Our service this morning has ended. That are greater service.

uufvb_org

2010Jan17sermon128.mp3

uufvb_org

2011Feb20Sermon32.mp3

We are blessed this morning with many special. Exporting all of us. For the installation service on friday. And then we'll have an anthem and then we'll begin our chancel dialogue. First of course on your list is retired minister from grosse pointe michigan 40 years. Next to him is dr.. Who is former president of the unitarian universalist association. Next genus window louver siaga. Former president of the women's federation married to the sky by dear friend. They retired minister they live in newburyport massachusetts. Minister river road we became fast friends during that process. Mike magee is a neighbor i also in the washington area arlington unitarian universalist congregation has been a friend for many many years. Richard speck first minister settled minister this congregation now the district executive of the largest and healthiest. Or someone. So you'll hear from them in just a moment. Unitarian. Universalism is a long and noble religious tradition we've been around for almost. 5 / more than 500 years. We are only 1046. And we're very small in terms of our adult membership our latest directory shows 100. And 65,000 adults. Not to give you perspective online. 165,000 adults. That's fewer accurate. The number of americans who believe that at some time in their lifetimes they have been abducted. What. Theater what can we have for questions we hope to get through today. And the first question. It is not too much to say that 1234567. You've all been long and passionately steeped in our tradition. So that i can pass it between you what is the one aspect. Of our liberal faith. Which is most precious and important to you. Mike you'll be the first to answer this question. First of all i just want to say what a joy it is to be here this weekend but in vero beach. I think this congregation is the friendliest congregation i have ever seen. just been real impressed with all of you thank you so much for your welcoming spirit. Navigate to the things that i love about our movement my wife terry and i joined the tallahassee. And it wasn't just a life-transforming experience for us of course and then i went into the ministry because of that. I think number one after really thinking about it. Is that i believe unitarian-universalist have foot spa. Really a lot of boldness as scott was talking about last night of moxie is ken mentioned last night. But i but i think unitarian universalist really have moxie in three different areas one is in terms of our theology it really takes a lot of foot spa. To leave behind a traditional religious perspective which most of us have done. We've moved away from that religious tradition. That has been part of our family's many times a part of our culture. And it's not easy to do it really kind of puts us out there on the edge of things. And it's a lot of times leaving behind a god that just doesn't work for us and reshaping an entire new theology a new way of thinking a new way of being. And sometimes we forget how hard it is for our new members to do that because for some of us it's been a long time. But that's a difficult struggle it really takes a lot of courage a lot of hurts but it do that. And secondly our movement has had a lot of books but in terms of living out our values. In terms of social justice and peace and especially in human rights. We have been a movement that has struggled for the human rights of people around the world including the human rights of women. Okay people the civil rights in terms of people of color. And end in human rights all across our world. And i'm really proud of us the way that we've done that. And thirdly the way that we have had hutzpah to change our ministry into change our churches. By welcoming first of all women into our ministry which totally transformed. Welcoming game of people and gay ministers into our churches. An end now struggling with multiculturalism. And working hard to welcome people of color. And to our congregation. And i think that takes a lot of foot. To do all of those. Kalinda. Well i also want to thank you all for the invitation is such a pleasure to be here with scott. Special time in his life and in collins life. And i echo your sentiments about the warmth of this congregation. I wish i could just say and i'm fact i pass it on. I also wanted to thank you for allowing us to come and leave six and a half feet of snow which we had in massachusetts in the period of one month. So i understand. I think when is it when i was thinking about this question. Came to my mind was the image of the big. Tent. And. I think. That that image of the big tent unitarian-universalism welcoming under the auspices of that 10. People of so many different backgrounds and i include the illogical in that. I live in the boston area for almost 20 years. And within a three-block. Radius in boston. Was king's chapel. Arlington street church. First church boston and community church of boston. And included theologically that perspective was a uu christian church. Amore mainline i'd say uu congregation first church. Community church of austin witches. Almost strictly a lecture series every sunday morning. And then arlington street church which is very well known for. It's welcoming of. Gays lesbians bisexual transgender people. In addition to so many other things that it does. So. I grew up roman catholic i went to catholic schools almost all of my life. I even interviewed my sophomore year in college to be a semi-closed or none.. I did not enter the convent. But that is the heritage from which i came from. And just one other little story to tell you i know that roman catholicism itself has also changed as have many religion. But in the late sixties my. Former husband who was african-american and i went to get married in the catholic church both of us being roman catholic. And we're told it. The priests needed to get. Special permission. From the bishop because we were in an interracial couple. I would hope that something like that would never happen. In any of our congregations today. And i assume that that is that i know that that is the case. But. Again the big ten. Welcoming people of all different the illogic. Perspectives. Lifestyle. Ethnicity. Etc. Where else can we find that but in theater aryan universalist. And richard. There's an advantage in going third. I don't have to be as brilliant. Thank you for allowing me to come back and be part of this. Installation service and then this worship service today it's good to see. So many faces that i remember from. The years that i served here. And. It's been. Somewhat old home. So thank you. The things that i reflect and i was thinking about this question. Was. For me. That that aspect of. We are unfettered. And where we seek the holy. We're able. To look at ne. Human creation of scripture. To seek out. To question with others in community. What it is that makes us human. To question what is this thing we call life. And who wrestle with the three big questions at all religion. Dodge. Why am i here. Where am i going. Where did i come from. I like for him to say something earlier because that doesn't. What i believe is one of the main. Themes for unitarian universalism. To be able. To ask those questions. And there's nothing off-limits. In our pursuit. And i want to briefly answer the question to me the most precious part of unitarian universalism. Is it our faith especially from our universalist side is committed to the idea that no one will be left behind. There's no such thing as. Disposable la run precious. Human being. Carl sandburg at the very end of his collected poems said it better than i can. There is only one horse in the world of the horse's name is all who. There was only one bird in the air and. The bird's name is always. There's only one fish in the sea in the fish's name is all fins. There was only one. A man in the world and his name is all men. There is only one woman in the world and her name is all women. There is only one child in the world in that child's name is all children. There was only one maker in the world and that makers children cover the earth. And they are called. All gods. That is the spirit that must animate every. Our second question. Will be answers scott before you get to the second question. Metro statistic it was very interesting. American. Religious identity survey 10 years ago. Found that they were 550,000 persons who identify themselves as unitarian universalist. Identified themselves as unitarian universalist. So we can become 1000 member church if there are that many you use out there right now. Appreciate that gene thank you and now the second question and junior going to answer the second question first. At this year 2011 is the 50th anniversary of the merger of unitarianism. And universalism. Which created our unitarian universalist association. What significant changes have occurred in our. And that relates back to cloudy is used to thinks maybe. What significant changes have taken place over the last 50. My memory not being so good anymore i decided to make. Significant changes in the past 50 years the most important thing. Entered the ministry 58 years ago is assistant minister in miami florida. There were three churches in florida. With ministers miami. Orlando in st petersburg. And now. So that is quite a change also. Went to miami 58 years ago. Do unitarian church there was the only church that would hold integrated meetings. Which which were illegal at the time. And that black person's could not be on the streets of miami beach after sundown without a permit. Things have changed their. Some other things that have changed in these past 50 years at 50 years ago. The humanists theist distinction was still important churches identify themselves as theist. They called their ministers accordingly. Today that those distinctions have been pretty well blurred we're much more inclusive terms of our churches as well as. Humanist as buddhist. A whole range of theological position. The. Another interesting thing that would ministers churches were seeking ministers. 50 years ago one of the things that they put on their surveys being most important. Was. Intellectual stimulation. Today. Intellectual stimulation is dropped about third or fourth place. And that the important thing is spirituality and building community. Sunday services i think we're more simple than it was. Sandwich services. Sherman. Today at work. Worshipping experience is much more. Inclusive broad includes many of the arts and much more involvement of lay persons in inner worship services. And then also has were much more minister. Center. Our church boards were predominantly men. Head of finance committee in the building and grounds can be the women where the caretaker. They were provided to church so services. Church suppers. Today. That is quite different. Laypersons men and women are much more involved in church management. Traditional women's groups have largely faded out. And i've been replaced by. Such groups as women spirit and women in religion. And traditional men's groups. Like lemans. Have disappeared. And now. They're forming consciousness-raising groups. Fifth. This fifty years ago there were five logical. Training. Search for r. Training suits for our ministry. Today there are only three. Theological schools that identify. With unitarian universalism. And most of our students are being trained. Seminary. The credentialing and fellowshipping process has become much more involved. And much more stringent than it was 50 years ago when ivis fellowship. 50 years i went to boston met the president and his office. If we were living in the time we spent most of the time. Describing which would be the best. Boston and back to richmond. But that. And also the gender balance has shifted away from an almost. Exclusively male profession. Over 50% of our ministers are women. And ministry is a second career for most of our minister. Today. And. There. 50 years ago there was just about one or two african american. Ministers. Today there are 40. Then at that time most of the people coming into our congregations. Where what we called. Come outer saber coming out of traditional churches. And. Bringing with them. Great deal of understanding of church. Coming from the presbyterian the baptist. Interesting lee enough they came from whatever the dominant religion was in miami at that time we had a large segment of persons coming from with jewish background when we got to atlanta most of our members are coming from. Today most of them are called. That they are coming. Into our congregation. From a nun church position. Know-how of church volunteer work in that interact as far as the. So in these fifty years we have become much more inclusive. In our religious beliefs and in their religious communities. We are the first denomination to have achieved a 50-50 gender balance and are ordained clergy. And we were the first. One of the first i guess to welcome gay and lesbians into our ministry. We elected william sinkford to be president of the usa and he was the first african-american to lead and historically white denomination. The changes over the past 50 years. I've been both significant and transformative for a movement. Thank you so that concludes my list all right. Richard. What else is left you can just say. I would say. Nothing in my 37 years of being a unitarian universal. Is it universalism one. We believe. More of what the universal is proclaim. We stand on the side of love not on the start of the side of thinking. We are. Passionate. That has gotten. Better able. To be in touch with the feelings hide. Of what it means to be religious people. So. I would say universalism. And you know because it's setup. Unitarian universalism. Unitarian is the modifier. Universalism is the noun the boston brahmins might disagree and john. Oh yes i've been in the ministry a long time as well not quite as long as you have a southern baptist minister. Unitarian universalist. Yes and i will just mention three changes. Jean when you mentioned that humanism. The more diverse a theologically there was a time. Both unitarian and universalist congregation. Where. Or theistic. And liberal christian. And that was a long struggle to finally bring humanism to where it was a justifiable position. And that i referred you could be humanistic humanistic. And over the years we we've sort of. To some degree abandon that. I had hoped that since i entered. Fully and finally fellowship. In 1965 that we would have a chance by now. You have fully articulated a religious humanism. And we did not really get around 2. And i'm missing that. The second thing i would mention is centralization. And there's an upside and a downside to that. We are more centralized now. When i first came in the voices were so diverse. In terms of opinion about. And now we are sort of expected i feel terms of religious culture. Too sore to be on the same page. All the time. So the centralization has a good aspect. And i'm not stupid ass back. Although i do feel like it helped us to move forward together. More often than we used to do in the past. And the last thing is causes them. I think we have become not just concerned about 13 things we don't become concerned until it is a pause. Which is visible and we can parade. And protest and have our pictures taken. And whatever else. When i was in phoenix which is my last. Saddles ministry. Out there we did some wonderful work because you use for not involving immigration or on behalf of immigrants. And we established to wonderful program to ride in our church. I wanted was a learning center. I-44. For immigrants at one was to help them with their language skills and also to help them in training to get. Unskilled jobs in the community. And the other was to protect them from consumer fraud. An office. What was called the satellite office of the state attorney general at our church. For that purpose. Not one single uu clergy. Or congregation. Ever asked what we were doing how could they help. How much they do what we were doing. And then after i left. When. The whole thing out there happened as we all know the last couple of years. Then everybody woke up and got but we were really the third. The cosm needs to be connected to our spirituality. So we've been changing evolving as a faith question is can hurteau first. As you look in the future. Can what changes do you anticipate. This is more prayer than than a prediction. Our puritan ancestors had the good sense. To recognize that our faith had to be a journey. And that would held us together was a commitment to find the. The truth and holiness. We have. Too often succumb to creedalism among us. And creating a narrowing of acceptability. In our desires not. To believe false things that is a good thing. False. But we have too often become. Alternative to religion. Rather than a religious alternative. My hope in my prayer and what i hear in the conversations among you. Is that we want to discover what it means to be. Humanely. Religious. In this time. The second thing i see happening among us is the recognition. That none of us can go it alone. That development needs to be in constant discernment. As a member of the larger community to help me think clearly and a seal. Appropriate passion. For what matters in human living. I see our worship services becoming increasingly. Concerned about. What difference does it make that we were here. Together today. In terms of how you live your life. Tomorrow. I see us continuing to work on that and then last point here. Is. Our congregations. Are discovering the second part. Congregational polity. For too long we have seen the islip's. And we're discovering over and over again.. Healthy. Vital congregations our congregations that have that larger conversation. From one congregation to the next and coming together frequently. For the sharing of its operations and open discussing of problems and working things through and being there for one another. Mike riehl prayer around this is we will go back to the visitation process. Of our puritan ancestors. And routinely go to one another congregation. And bear witness and say how are you. Imagine your board members. Once a year visiting another churches board meeting and witnessing. Imagine yourself sending delegations to other congregations to worship with them. To learn from them and is having delegation. Come to you and then. What is our larger ministry how can we. Enrich each other. And my prayer and i'm certainly going to act. The universalist teaching. That none of us is ever to be forgotten. Or written off. Or treated shamefully. That we are all saved that we love one another. I really do see that evolving. More clearly. Passionately. With greater intellectual go errands. Does mike. I think. First of all i i'm hopeful about our future i'm not a short of it but i think if we can keep going in the direction that we're going. And doing a lot of things. We're doing that we we have a good possibility for the. But you know it would really help if we. If we had more buildings like a lot of other churches it would help a lot. I think one of the biggest challenges for a future is going to be yet. I really dealing with multicultural is. We've done real well in terms of bringing as i said earlier. And the way we do things especially in the way we worship. We need to reconfigure and what is it that's going to make people. Welcome. Feeling welcome. People of color into our churches but i think even more important than that is to. Welcome young people into our church is because once you bring young people into you bring a lot of multiculturalism. Just by necessity. But young people is going to death going to be a true challenge. Because young people don't want to come into a church that's going to be like their parents.. An update that's just not going to work it has to be different and has to meet their needs and not their parents. Parents generation. And that means to bring in young people you have to really change worship. That's going to meet their needs. Having big screens up there like that. I am having more. More enthusiasm and more emotional content in your services as a lot of things. And that means that the older folks need to be more patient. Well this may not meet all of my needs. But it's meeting the needs of this church and this movement so i'm not going to throw a fit with scott or anybody else. And linda lou. And will be wrapping up soon. Echoing a lot of what my. Said i would like to add to the multiculturalism that we also need to think in terms of economic diversity. I think that is one of our major downfall. Speaking of youth i had an idea when i was. Think about this question. And that was a suggestion that we might have a group of people that would shadow are used with their permission for a day. And just find out what their life is like. Especially when we think of other social media. Because i think that you are correct that we really do need need to incorporate social media more and more in our services in our in our worship in our committee meetings etc nothing that i was thinking about was the fact that there are a lot of people that cannot attend church for whatever reasons. And it would be wonderful for them to be able to experience this wonderful. Worship service and i know that that you do have it on that people can access it but maybe some live streaming sometime we're people in a nursing home or who are ill at home could even participate live. With your worship service i don't know how that works because that's the last thing i know about. So anyway those are some of the things i was thinking about that for us to keep going we need our young people and we're not going to have our young people or keep our young people if we don't keep up-to-date so maybe somebody shadow one of your. What is like for them. And i just want to close by answering the last question myself. As i said at the felon about what about john. I'm so how would you like to be last. Well i'm going to take my two or three or four minutes.. And i'm i have to. My god everybody said so many things. I should say something different and i will. I am from detroit. So first of all i would appreciate appreciate. Do i do. If you seen the ads in the super bowl you know that we are still tested and iron tough. So i'll give you some tough love. If you don't mind. I do appreciate so much of what we've done and i agree we should be proud but pride does cometh before a fall. And so as as john said. I do get concerned about causes and. As the moderator of the unitarian universalist association which. If you want to think anteka secular terms that's like the. The. Speaker of the house. Has said. People know where activists they don't know where religious. And i think our call then is to do things as we've been doing them. But do them not because they're to the left that is because. But because they're right. And to do them because they're right and we know they're right religiously and because and articulate that. And to do the hard work of universalism. Is is cat. That when we say we welcome all should be. That's very hard. But that should be it that we welcome all and really mean it. Doesn't need programs doesn't need a lot of articulation. And it means that we welcome people who haven't been mentioned here. Alfred sample people who believe that we all have guns. Are they not welcome if we welcome everybody. There are a lot of people who aren't wealthy. Because they. Are activism without that other very important elements. Of all of our religion and our belief and rj welcoming off. And in saying that if i might say one thing it's heard of a prayer and refer to our symbol the flaming chalice. That should enlighten us in a way. Deeper and more than we think. I mean we have seen the flame. Passion. That shows up and we get again to go back to channel to get burned up about something. We get burned up and show people. And i think it's okay to have that passion but if all you are is burned up all you're going to attract people who are burned.. Or if you work in atlanta place where you have sort of a smokescreen of words and ideas you'll attract people who have the smokescreen of words and ideas. But what about the flame of warren. The flame of love. The flame that isn't in inviting to everybody and shows in the joy that you have. Joyful dude you have in front of their office. The joya has as some. As peter says one of his epistles be. Prepared at all times. The show the joy that is in you and i think that's what we need but we need to show. Is the genuine loving this that invites all. And that has that enthusiasm and that joy in fact. Work with media. But when you come right down to it. For all the media that we have. For the elderly person dying in the hospital. Or for the young person who's in the hospital sick and hasn't learned anything about prayer. The media isn't going to help. In the. What's inside of them. So it's the wet inside we have. Yes. And then we have to turn our insides out. So that we show people that love that's where i think the hopis scott. So. I got to be last but that jacket. And just one last word. I was with. 340 colleagues last week cuz i said the fellowship dinner. Will the change i expect. Our urgency. About our work. Continue. We live in a very troubled world. We live in a planet gravely endangered. Ecological change. We still live in a culture that wants to divide and parse. And kill. And we are voice. Universal love. And care for humanity. And there is a new urgency that we're not about childsplay we're not about having a clubhouse here in vero beach we have nice dinners. What about the ultimate. Salvation of humankind. And and we got the message. It's been in our bones. For 500 years and it did yesterday articulations change. Can we're no better than episcopalians or muslims are jews. They share many of the same visions and we have to partner with them. But we are voice one voice. For the salvation of the world and that's the work. Of which. These people have devoted their lives and i hope that we will all devote our.

uufvb_org

2012Mar18Sermon128.mp3

We'll look at us. 30 years old. Now where the person. Weather 30th birthday we'd expect them to have achieved a certain level of maturity usefulness and grace. By the time you're 30 or supposed to be all grown up and going somewhere you're supposed to be adequately educated. Gainfully employed. Settled and family and career active in your community in the world and generally doing reasonable things in your life. And so it should be for a congregation. By the time you're 30 you should be as a congregation all grown up and going somewhere. By the time our 30th anniversary rolls around the current gation should know who it is. And what it believes. What cares about and serves. What is spends its resources and time on. And how it's going to devote itself. To help humanity and creation. The good news is that on our 30th birthday we are in fact. A grown-up congregation. And we are going somewhere. No we're not done growing. And getting better at all we do. But we are good and strong. Congregation. Serving love and hope and justice. Making a real difference. Within these four walls. And beyond in the wider world. So i say to you. And mean it. Happy. 30th. Birthday. For those of you who do not know the florida district. Executive. Is the other half of congregational polity for you. Mostly i work with your leadership. To nurture. Sustain encouraged the growth of our witness in the world. And the health and vitality of our congregation. I say the other half of congregational polity. And that each of our congregations is free and autonomous. Choosing its own. Form of worship. Calling its own ministers and electing its own officers. My relationship with you. Is to affirm that first and foremost but also the other part of our the congregationalists way. Is that all the congregations are united. In a loving association of accountability. Support and nurture. So on behalf of the other 47 congregations in the florida district. I congratulate you. On your 30th anniversary. Now that's not quite the same as the 40 years the bible speaks of as. Long enough. But we live in a hasty world so 30 years is long enough for you to fulfill what scott just described you. Being a grown-up leading the ministry into new directions. At a time of. National anxiety and increasing polarization where we are dividing the world ever more into the saved and the damned. And our universe's teaching that love will triumph over all. And all are worthy of our love. Because all i lovable. Is a message that not only needs to be affirmed in this hall. But in our daily lives. And in the. Larger communities we find ourselves. Rusty nail. Unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach has every great reason to be proud of itself. And to the extent i can i am proud of you as well. Some of you have heard and it is still my fun thing to see if you. You are the most accomplished. And accomplishing congregation. Entire. Congratulations i hope to see some of you next weekend in jacksonville for our annual district assembly. We will talk about crossing the boundaries that divide us. Assignation. And as communities. To affirm that boundaries ought to be bridges to greater understanding. Rather than walls of division. May your ministry be fruitful. Continuous. Prosperous. And who knows what the next. Thirty years war. Blessings you. Upon you this day. The days weeks months and years to come. No arthur i will briefly talk about the present where we find ourselves today. I am happy to report that 30 years out from a founding this congregation in my view is healthy. Happy strong and purposeful. Let's just take a quick snapshot of where we are. First our numbers. Wellshire numbers never tell the whole story of occurring nation's health and success. They do speak volumes. Are numbers clearly show. We are vibrant growing an energetic congregation. Our adult membership has never been higher. A review of our record shows that. Our numbers have increased steadily over the last three decades. And. A rapidly increased about 20% over the last two years. Simile the current gation stewardship giving has never been higher. It's been growing more rapidly even that our membership. In the last two years assuming we reach our goal this year our stewardship giving will of rose 30%. And overall the budget here at you uscb. With the two successful enterprises we have our nursery school and the emerson center our budget is very healthy. And stable. Walker occasional finances and building maintenance are always a challenge. We are paying our bills. Supporting our staff and programs honorably. And investing as much as we can in this wonderful physical plant that we call home. A somewhat larger challenge to grow has been a religious education program. What we have over recent years had a wonderful program thanks to claudia. Our wonderful tre. And we have great families with great kids. We have not seen the growth of this program as we had dreamed. Why is this. One reason surely is that we are a progressive. Non credo inclusive church. Anakaren gation full of very cradle. Very christian churches and so our market share of kids. In this traditional community. Pinches us. But claudia and i feel on this 30th 30th anniversary that are re glass. Is not half empty but half full. This is because here at uscb we do a great job of honoring and welcoming every child. Who comes through our doors. Yes our goal is always to grow our re program in terms of raw numbers. But in the meantime we should be satisfied and pleased that we have such a small gym. Of a program. For the wonderful kids who come through our doors. Total of about numbers what about the other less quantifiable indicators. Albuquerque gainesville health and purpose. Well i may be prejudiced. But i think if i almost any measure. This congregation is a wonderful and purposeful congregation. As we just learned from these that the brief history that we had. We are an exceptionally warm and caring community we are hospitable. To all who come through our doors and attentive to everyone who makes this their spiritual home. And in addition. We enjoy meaningful worship. Great fellowship. Wonderful music. Good meals. And rich programming. And we just have a lot of fun here you know we're not a grim bunch. In a nutshell. We're really good at all that goshi mystical stuff. That makes a corrugation. Worth. Like a home. And there is our caring perp. Purposefulness beyond these walls which jack laid out. A social justice and community enrichment and caring have always been apart. Of what we do and we had to be really proud that we are serving. Our unitarian universalist principles. For the size we are we have a greater impact in this community everywhere i go people say oh you're the unitarian thing always drop the universal. Unitarians do so many good things in our town and we do. So. Honest 30th anniversary occasion we should feel good about the present state. Of affairs here at uscb. Does this mean we have no problems around this place. Course not. Does it mean our future is without challenges again of course not. But it does mean. August 3rd sunday. In the month of march in the year 2012. We should feel pretty darn good. About who we are. And what we have become. And now our beloved president arthur where are you come on up. Still at his thoughts. Reverend alexander is poking about growth in this fellowship. And i would like to expand on some key points. Wishing merely summarized. Consider our mission statement. We a caring liberal religious community. Encourage spiritual growth. And seek justice. For all. This i suggest outlines those specific areas on which we should focus. If we want to be living proof. Of a congregation. That is walking. The talk. Yes we have grown in numbers. But that growth is all but insignificant in my mind. When compared with the strides we have made as we have begun to embrace. The greater community. Of which we are just a park. Once we live well back from 43rd avenue behind some trees. And when i asked where we were we often said oh. We're next to the temple. No. We are front-and-center. Add a major crossroads of this vital community. And when asked we can now just leave reply. Where the building. It's bursting at its seams. For that is indeed. What we are doing. We are known by musicians. And educators. Indigenous. And this river pontificators. Thanks door speaker and humanities series. Bridges early learning center. Music homeless. And our sunday fund programs. In terms of service to and for this community. We have grown almost unbelievably. Over a very few years. And that means. That we have within us a reservoir of ingenuity. Inspiration. Good dramatic sense. And they will. To make a difference. But our growth goes far beyond these areas that i have just mentioned. For we have also grown in measurable. In our concern for and attention to. Groups. Within our own. Community. Homeless fellowship. Covenant groups. Musical groups. Education groups. Reading groups. I think they're probably from eating groups here somewhere. These are just part of what we offer. Show profusely. Who are the dream when we first looked at this grand new home. It within a few years. We would find ourselves short. Of meeting space. Since we won't stop growing. That problem. Will continue. You'll become more complex. But with complexity. Can also come excitement. I speak here of the growth in our impact on the greater community of which we are a part. May this kind of growth. Continue. To be the hallmark. Hope unitarian universalist fellowship. A vero beach. And now just these very brief words. What i think about our future. Let me tell you the truth. In our congregational future. We will never have quite enough people. To accomplish all our dreams. We will never have quite enough energy. To fulfill our potential. We will never have quite enough time. To address all of the congregations needs. We will never have quite enough money. To maintain this building perfectly. We will never have quite enough kids. To fill every nook. And cranny of this place with laugh. We will never have quite enough finances. To pay our staff. Completely adequately. We will never have quite enough resources. To address all of our community's needs. We will never have quite enough to be the perfectly absolutely a most elegant unitarian universalist congregation in all of human history. What. We will have more than enough vision. This congregation has always had hotspot. We will always have more than enough joy. We've known. We will always have more than enough passion. We've always known how to do the work of our faith here on the treasure coast. We will always have more than enough compassion. We've always know how known how to reach out and care for others. We will always have more than enough hope. We've never been victims. Of malaise. Despair. We will always always. Have more. Then enough love. For this congregation has always lived from his heart. Here within these walls. And ever more widely. Out in. We will always. Have. Are gala. 30th anniversary celebration is complete and now we look forward. To our bright future. As a congregation. We are a good. And strong congregation. We are a vibrant and caring community. With so much to do and share both within these walls. And beyond. So let us now go from this place renewed and strengthened for the work and the joy. Of our community. In the days. And years ahead.

uufvb_org

2013Aug25Sermon32.mp3

Good morning. We were loving hearts and helping hands. You're welcome. What are you were younger role perfect system conditioner struggling with various illnesses. Top of the world this morning or not. You're still pleased to see you. Are services morning meeting.. Maybe we'll find something here this morning as your spirit soul and using renewed energy. 20th century. Story i'm going to share with you this morning 20th century naturalist and philosopher doctor harmonizing. This morning because of the useful tail the powerfully relates to my son. Elf on the shelf rare. I was an inhumanly script skeleton without boys without hope alone upon the storage world. First-person account. Wandering alone the shores of the world. Uniden g restaurant on goose bowl. For the weather. Perhaps that is why i finally found my soulmate. I concealed myself beneath a fisherman's cap and sunglasses so looks like everyone else. Mark the time. The sea of stars. The rising sun.. Bowser. Torches bobby like fireflies alone. Madness over the complete competing collector hurrying along with bundles of gathered starfish slowly, and dissolved in the outdoor kennel. For the cleaning of scottsdale. As the sound of the sea became heavier and more medicine a round of applause. I want more lift starfish everywhere. The sun behind me was pressing upward at the horizon thrift. Simmering. As it seemed to me the rainbow. He was gazing at something in the sand object exert a labor another half-mile of corrigan of a timer. Starfish. Still alive. Yes send it. Over my head. Northshore cole estrada. Only ones like this. Softly gesturing in the wreckage of the shore and only for the living. Across the water. He said throw well. One can help them. You looked fully at me. I do not collect. Neither living nor the dead is uploaded is only accessible. I nodded walked away leaving him there with the great rainbow ranging up to sky. I turned as i needed and then the coast is going to cost a star. Far over the ravening water. For a woman now i see him. We're alone isn't changing like. With the posture of a god. Put my cold world shriveling few. He is just an ad. Bringing my flop. The star thrower. Is a man. A little more sweet. Denki. In the world. So this morning i continue my 2013 number 3738 over the cover model on the seven principles of art. Plastic.. Actually believe. Infuriating. 10 are very beginning. We have always been. Global thinkers. These ideas.. Reese's world already has one at 6.. Beautiful.. Alright so let's focus. Joseph. As i have already observed there are i hope it's a couple hours and hopeful golden. Surely would accuse.. Such a perfect world is possible. We are never. Hoverboard. And liberty and justice for all next week. Which implied that even be optimistic. Realizes world order. It's surely we have to admit early years is 21st century avenue what kind of world is possible. Wise not to see optimus. Sendik's. I mean let's face it. Very long way from achieving mobile order four-piece liberty and justice is known by all far more orchard street. Any more conservative religious tradition. Brewster beginning apostoli the power and. The viability of this wildly idealistic. And good for us in space missions. For us to have spiritually nicole near-perfect world as long as we realized. One part of florida. Right now. Not to mention. Let me give just a few example. You wager. As you all know right now. Of living. Worst politician. The science of the people. Standard uses farm and lawn fertilizer. Drainage canal street. Local growth of toxic organisms in the river. Window water. Local state and regional politicians butterscotch or washington.. Largely unbeliever. To provide the leadership control the problem. And so even though we is rational creatures in this beautiful part of the world do precisely what our area goes treasured natural resource. Uninstall the local problem does not instill confidence in the overall durability ourselves. The idea is always wrong for something spicy one more bumper sticker that says i love my country. For several years now on national level. Republic. Play almost any measure there is today. Supreme court seemingly unable or unwilling to actually work for the common good whether you were talking about universal health care. Ideologies. America isn't. That's a great name. How many other nations in the world value. In so many places in the world. Most noticeably right now in the middle east. Depression economics. Harold.. Example. And thousand. Innocent. Reading the international section of the year times every morning has become for me something of an exercise. Depression. Or somebody places in our world humanity. Inhumane. Peaceable and just wait. Har. Wildlife in some parts of the globe his peaceable johnson. Fart. Violence poverty and oppression. Define viable ways to address the interconnected. Global climate natural habitat. Portland today. Global political leader. Albany. Find ways to cooperate with one another. Established enforceable global regulation and strength reserve term environmental. Clarity. Global communication least until now. The remaining environmental actions capable of ensuring. Planet moon for all of it. Surviving species. Try as hard as they have. International organization international. Environmental sphere is also screwing the spheres international relations. Immigration. Homosapien are not doing very well with rationally cooperating with one another. No honestly i did not set out this morning single-handed to present. Quotes about the rather sad sad state of affairs potential. How many area. I haven't. Is one unitarian universalist because i am optimistic. It is always believe. After the trouble with troublesome reality and the rather torture trajectories little mystery ionic. Perfect. Is almost certainly put paintable. As a people of faith and hole. Both individual together for world. What a world with morkies. More more more. The new world traction world cab. Enterprise blue lowlights. Then we must abandon our. Over and over again to try to stumble toward that for. That is what i find loren eiseley star thrower story earlier. Spiritual local houston. Solitary but purposeful. Walking app. Auto store need a freshly picking up. Beautiful gradual stranded starfish won the time. Starfish. True story. Images. Tilting at windmills. Rather the seafood. Taking the side of life even when the odds against them by taking the sign of life that is what our tradition is also about you this morning. Did the evil in the world. What are unitarian universalist. Liberty and justice for all seasons farfetch'd an unrealistic dream. We still must again. And again and again. And faithfully do the hard and on glorious unglamorous work. Creating more peace. More liberty and more justice and dignity with other people could face. It's okay even though i will regard myself a tough-minded realistic,. Do all things human. And even though i am regularly heartbroken and disappointed by human failure in society. I still stand behind. This sick principal. A barbie pool. Heart. Universalist. The unlikely goal. Like isley is improbable yet impassioned starred for. Start beaches of costa del. We must continue youtube awesome together sometime. What are stubborn few of. Ginnie springs. Do the work. 1. Unitarian universalist. Walmart. Open lewisville browser spinning globe. We can build a world. Where's madeline. A world. Perfect. Sufficient. Liberty. World of substantial justice. The world. Everlasting bad woman and smile. Send you on your way with this word the jordans look like. Necessary whole foods are sour. We are often. We are at our best. Wicked. Inspire to graterford. Engraver compassion. Or good. Enough. Brave. Enough. Headstrong.

uufvb_org

2014Jun15Sermon128.mp3

Good morning on this father's day or how many dads we got out here. Raise your hands. It's your day it's your day hope you get something out of it. Glad you're all here. You know what i mean. And welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we are so pleased that all of you have chosen to be with us this morning. We are as the graphics said just a moment ago a congregation of open minds. Loving hearts and helping hands people seeking to become our best individual selves. Even as together we work to make our world a better place. And please know i say this every sunday that you were welcome precisely as you come to us this morning. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What do you have a ged or a phd. Whether you're a visitor with us this morning or have been coming for decades. Whether you're feeling on top of the world. Or down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you this morning just as you come to us. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. And then you will find something here this morning. That nourishes your spirit and feeds your soul and gives you a nude energy and purpose for the living of life. In the days ahead. So recently a newspaper i saw one opinion seeker wrote dear abby and said what do you think of someone who lies and cheats. And then goes to church on sunday and sings hymns. Abby's response was. The person was going to the right place. And that's right we gather here on sunday not because we are perfect or pious or righteous beyond reproach. We gather for worship because we know deep to our bones that good and well-meaning as we are we are none the less fraught flawed and fragile human beings who fall short. Of our best selves on a regular basis. And so imperfect people that we are we gather here on sunday. To remind ourselves that we can always grow into better people. Becoming in our daily living weiser. Kinder. And more responsible as human beings. In fact when you think about it perfect people shouldn't come to church they just ruin the experience for the rest of us. Because. This congregation is for imperfect people like you and me. People who want to grow a soul. People who want to become bigger. People. Who want to love. More broadly. Welcome. You perfectly imperfect. So this morning of all things the preacher is going to talk about preaching. But i have this reading that is by frederick buechner a presbyterian preacher in theologian it's my favorite quotation about the art of preaching. It's actually at this is my book on preaching the relational pulpit and i began this book with this quotation. It's about 30 years old. So the ham comes to a close with an unsteady amen. And the organist. Gestures the choir to sit down. Fresh from breakfast with his wife and children and a quick run-through of the sunday papers the preacher climbs the steps of the pulpit. With his sermon in hand. He hikes his black robe at the knees so he will not trip over it on the way up. His mouth is a little dry. He has cut himself shaving. He feels as if you swallowed an anchor. If it weren't for the honor of the thing he just assumed be somewhere else. In the front pew the old ladies turn up their hearing aids. And the young lady slips her six-year-old a lifesaver and a magic marker. A college sophomore home from vacation who was there because he was dragged there slumps forward. With his chin in his hands. The vice-president of a bank who was twice that week. Seriously contemplated suicide. Places his hymnal. Back. A pregnant girl feels. The life stirring inside her. High school math teacher who for 20 years has managed to keep his homosexuality a secret. For the most part even from himself. Chris has his order of service down the center with his thumbnail and tucks it under his. The preacher pulls the little cord that turns on the lectern light and deals out his notecards like a riverboat gambler. The stakes have never been higher. 2 minutes from now he may have lost his listeners completely to their own thoughts. But at this moment. He has them in the palm of his hand. The silence in the shabby church. Is deafening. Everybody. Is listening. Including even himself. Everybody knows the kinds of things he has told them and not told them. In the past but who knows. What he will tell them this time. Out of the silence. Many sundays here in this beautiful sanctuary i have the privilege or is it the audacity to step up here. In this time-honored and respected place called the pulpit. And i break the silence. This morning i want to reflect on the art and honour of preaching i want to ask what does it mean for one person and. This sunday it's me and most sundays it's me. Here to uscb. What does it mean for one person to be given the authority to preach to others. And what is this formally spoken sing we call a sermon that results. No i have been a professional paid preacher for more than 40 years. And i've delivered many hundreds of sermons like what i could have brought them all up here for you in the many file folders i have every damn one of them for more than four but i spared you that. Any sermons a hundreds of them a varying style and i might as well admit it varying quality i mean think about it folks a minister only preaches his best sermon once all the rest or something less than that. In any case i appreciate your after year on many hundreds of topics in many unitarian universalist congregation is most particularly. The five conjugations i have served from northern maine. The vero beach i've always lived within a mile of route 1 can you imagine that. And i'm proud to say. I've written one of the few books as i said on the art and craft of preaching from a youyou perspective it's called the relational pulpit. Closing the gap between. Preacher and pugh. It's published it was published in 99 is going out of print then i went online it's still available in a pdf format from amazon how about that it didn't know it was. I've also over my career regularly taught preaching to my colleagues in ministry both at the seminary levelland at uua sponsored intensives. Are all over the country. But i've almost never talked about the art and the meaning of preaching to the conjugations i've served. And this is a curious omission because preaching and sermons. Play i think a central role in the life of this indeed every uu congregation. Trudeau are protestant routes almost every sunday we gather here to reflect on life as i said the opening words were not perfect. Practice our religion and renew ourselves for the week ahead. Are we set aside approximately half of the our allotted for worship. To experience together something called a sermon. And much of the rest of the service from the music to other elements like the readings and meditations. I routinely crafted to shape and shape to complement and intensify the message. Of the sermon. Preaching which is a form of religious communication that is as old of course as human. Culture itself. Preaching is very important to our liberal religious tradition. And it is so important for us to understand i think as a religious community. What edits best preaching is and what at its best of equal importance what preaching is. Not. There are of course many styles and forms of preaching done in america. Since the beginning of american unitarianism and american universalism in the late 1700s. Ours has been alerted and scholarly preaching tradition. Our clergy have always been highly educated and trained. Sermons and our tradition have almost invariably been fully researched and written discourses that are carefully crafted and put to paper. Although i must tell you an increasing number of my colleagues around the country are now practicing the art of what is called extemporaneous preaching. Which of course is preaching a lot of texts or barely even having notes. Now even though this more informal and spontaneous style of preaching is all the rage right now i must tell you that i'm. Kind of stuck in my ways. You won't see xscape irenaeus preaching from me. I've always believed in the practice than careful discipline of writing my sermons out entirely. Do i do from time to time wander off my text often at my peril. And you can all site examples of that. I sometimes say that wasn't a text i didn't really mean that. In the 18th and 19th century sermons were of course carefully handwritten. Impenen inc. Fight the old unitarians in boston in the universal store on the country. In the twentieth century they were typed on manual or electric typewriters i started out. In the early seventies in northern maine on route 1 in a little church in houlton maine on my little hermes portable green typewriter. What a mess that was. I'm in the 21st century of car sermons are now compose and edited on computers. Thank god for computers how did i ever edit or write without a computer and and the internet for whoever goes to the library anymore thank god for computers. Most sermons and our tradition are still carefully thought-out and written out text. Witcher delivered not necessarily word for word but essentially read out loud. To live conjugation like this one. Listen. To the carefully-crafted area addition i went to my. 1903 copy of channing's sermon running hour-and-a-half by the way. Word for word they're written out. So i went to this book and i opened it to anyone just a random page and put my finger down and this is the paragraph. That i found it happens to be from channing's famous sermon on unitarian christianity listen listen to this. Crafted armor in 1843. To give our views of god in one word we believe in his parental character. We ascribe to him not only the name but the dispositions and principles of a father. Father's day sermon. We believe that he has a father's concern for his creatures. A father's desire for their improvement father's equity and portioning his commands to their powers father's joy in their progress a father's readiness to receive the pentiums. A father's justice for the incorrigible. We looked anyone on upon this world is a place of education which god and with god is training men and women by prosperity and adversity by aids and obstructions by conflicts of reason and passion by motives of duty and temptations to send and by various disciplines suited to free and moral beings for union with him. Self. And for a sublime and ever-growing virtue in heaven. Amen. Since the beginnings than of our liberal religious traditions peach preaching has been a carefully practiced and thoughtful art. There's nothing sloppy or loud or repetitious or casual about it. Look for a lot of americans the first image that pops into their heads when they think about preaching. Is some sort of loud and frenetic televangelist number jimmy swaggart. You know all sweaty with the flowers around them with the open bible ranting and screaming and sweating and dropping and all that stuff that's what a lot of people think of. The tradition is also very much alive in the black church there's a television here in indian river county where the preaching is boy it's a spontaneous and it's wild. Interrogations were yelling back encouragement to. Now this surely is preaching. But it's not. Our style of preaching. For generations now you you ministers have taught have been taught that careful sermon writing and preparation. Is the largest and most important and most energy and time-consuming task of their professional week. The rule of thumb in our tradition is as the minister is going to preach for 20 minutes. He better spend 20 hours preparing that sermon one of my fellow you you ministers once riley observe i didn't have time last week to prepare a 20-minute sermon. So i preached for half an hour. Show a good sermon in our tradition anyway is a finely crafted discourse that the writer struggles over. And let me tell you one key skill and preaching is knowing how to edit yourself. Sometimes what makes a sermon great is what you have the wisdom. Not to include but to leave out. And it is important to observe that although most sermons are written. And frequently later published to be read as we do on our website not only do i publish all of them in written form all of my sermons from the last 30 years are on the on the world wide web and by the way i sometimes get letters from methodist ministers in you know split.lip idaho or somewhere who've read my stuff and want to talk to me about a sermon it's amazing when you take the trouble to write it that has a life of its own anyway. In spite of the fact that they're written. The sermon experience is always alive interactive interpersonal and. Unrepeatable event. Many times i am asked by someone who is mr. particular sunday here. If the sermon i preached is available in print and i tell them of course it is. But the truth is that reading a sermon after-the-fact over a cup of coffee at home. Without the presence of the actual preacher and without the presence and energy of the audience. While it may be meaningful insightful and helpful to read a sermon it always pales i think in comparison. To the sunday morning moment of a live animated preacher stepping into a pulpit risk into conversation. With the people in front of him or her. This is similarly true the videotape versions of my sermon which rick is taping this morning. You can always watch those on demand from your home computer. And again is helpful in as his as this technology is. I must tell you the truth a sermon experience in this remote. And disembodied way will always be something different and i say something less. And if you experience it in a room like this. With a group of other people. Now don't get me wrong i'm profoundly glad we have video sermons that go all over the world. This modern technology enables many of you to catch sermons you miss on sunday in there so many isolated religious liberals. Who know which which ministers websites to go to to watch sermons if i had a i had a bed-bound you you in. Coffeyville kansas if you can imagine that. And her name is jenny laden and she used to watch my sermons from coffeyville kansas from her bed. It allows newcomers and seekers to check us out before they actually visit you be surprised at the number visitors sit while i looked at about half a dozen of your sermons before i dared come in here. And i would never have us go back to the archaic old days when the only way to hear a sermon was to be there on sunday morning. But it is important for us to remember that the full power and energy and i dare i say the magic and grace. Of a sermon can only be experienced fully if you are here. In the flesh of the moment on sunday morning with other good folks who gone to the trouble of getting up. Feeding themselves breakfast reading part of the paper and coming in here. What i'm saying is it every sermon delivered here. Whether it's me or peak kersey or someone else. Is blessedly bound up in the actual moment it is preached a sermon is always an unrepeatable moment. Of sharing an interchange between the pulpit in the pew. Some of the magic is always lost when you go to video or print. And in my book the relational pulpit. I make the case that a sermon if it is worthy. To be called that is always a humble act. A conversation. Dialogue and relationship. Between the preacher and the pew. It is a live conversation even though on most sundays at least. I'm the only one in the room talking. When i step into this pulpit and into the role of preacher. With all of you sitting out there in the 10 of silent i'm basically glad you don't scream encouragement back all the time i could get used to it but i just do not have it. Waiting respectfully you for me to speak i understand. It should be the most singular and important opportunity we have. Each week. As a community to gather in the work of our religion and the work of our lives. It is my job i think. When it comes time for the sermon. To try to articulate for the whole community something of significance. An importance. And this is always done. Best not from on high. Not from some authoritative preach i've preached and some of our new england churches where the pulpit is like 40 ft above the pew and that's a weird experience believe me you talk about preacher from on high and then we have those they have those sound boards over the over the pulpit which we called minister snuffer's. And in case they ever drop those are amazing places to preach and scary if you ask me those nineteenth-century pulpit. How where was i not from on high. People say virgin says they could get me i get lost. When i begin my sermon it is never i assure you with the intention or illusion. Of constantly bestowing. Upon newsome superbly finished or crystallized. Gem of truth from god or anyone else. As if i would ever know what that was. When i preach i am respectfully offering something out of the particularity of myself would. My thoughts my logic my emotions and passions my experience and conclusion. My convictions and yes my confusions. I'm offering these things for your consideration. Is ralph waldo emerson famously said to the newly-minted nine unitarian ministers graduating from harvard in 1838 this is a famous. Line all you young ministers know. Wear it whenever the pulpit is usurped by a formalist. He said. Then the work that then is the worshipper defrauded. And disconsolate. The true preacher can be known by this. That he deals out to the people his life. Passed through the fire of thought. That he deals out to the people. His life. Past. Through the fire of thought. I want you to know that. That is my sincere goal to try to give voice again from out of the particularity. And the truth and limitations of who i am as one human being. Just something that will hopefully be universal important or significant or informative to all of us. Every time i step into the pulpit in the role. And the responsibilities of being a minister i take it on faith. Just as i've taken loving care to prepare for the moment. The each of you are here prepared to sincerely engage and interact with whatever. I have decided to address on that particular day. The old saying it takes two to tango. I can be prepared but you have to. Prepared to. What are the finest you you ministers of the twentieth century was a guy named john cyrus. Who served our large downtown church in milwaukee wisconsin for decades. He was a dearly beloved pastor but he was a. Well a hopeless preacher. And once he was talking to me about a study group and he was saying what you know scott i'm. I'm not a very good preacher but aren't those people in milwaukee every sunday they're out there in the pews trying to make it a good one. And that's right. Good creatures are always made by good congregations. I don't want you to know that i appreciate all the many ways you here at uscb. Help me to become a more effective preacher. Through your generous and attentive. Listening. And while i'm pausing here to thank you for your role and making my preaching better. I want to pause and confess something. The unitarian universalist ministers often say to one another but don't dare share with you. Despite the fact that all clergy like to complain and whine about how hard it is to write a sermon every week. The fact is that secretly most of us can't believe that we are actually paid a salary. The sooner our offices and think and research about the most important stuff in the world you actually pay me to do that. Placard. Yeah that's right in a new york minute. I actually have the opportunity to be listened to by serious and respectful people. Joining with me on the great journey toward truth and hoping meaning. Yes being a preacher week in and week out a x is very hard especially when you hit writer's block or just don't know what's left to say. But i for one feel privileged to be in this role in this context of supportive speakers and i really do love. The work. Preparing sermons. But that having been said i want to move on and talk honestly about one of the most. Mysterious and if you think about it the most obvious truths about preaching. Many times on sunday morning the effectiveness power and meaning of the sermon event. Has little or nothing to do with the actual words that i prepared on paper. This is because as i said. Every sermon has to active participants. The preacher. Who crafts his or her words. Write his or her poetry tells his or her own story and fashions his or her own arguments and conclusions and the second participant the listener. Who is constantly filtering considering weighing and working with. The preacher's material. From the perspective of their own quite separate. And distinct. Humanness. As a preacher i know full well that when i has one particular person speak. Going somewhere. Particular out of my own experience. That you out there in the pews are probably going somewhere very different especially if you're in a place in your life that's different from mine. I know that is you listen to my stories consider my arguments and logic impeccable as they always are. Move with my poetry and imagery and even enter into the silence between my words. You will be going places in your mind and heart that i cannot even imagine. Nor. Control. So often the truth is the best and most. Transformative and helpful part of a sermon has little to do with what i write. Or intend. Or expect the results of the sermon to be. The best part of the sermon is awesome. What spiritually and intellectually happens within you within the private reaches. Of your own private soul. When something that i say triggers a memory. Or a thought from your own life or some pain that you're going through. Or something you figured out or resolved. When one of my images transports you to something you cherish or love. Or even when some argument i am making strikes you as incredibly stupid. Although some of the slick televangelists. May imagine it otherwise. Preachers cannot and do not control where the listeners go. Or what effect their words will have indeed. Sometimes as a preacher you get amazing feedback that just seems impossible. The reverend roy phillips who for years served our large church in st paul minnesota used to famously tell about the sunday when one of his parishioners said. I love your sermon will you send me a copy tomorrow morning he did he sent his sermon on monday morning she called him up on monday afternoon to yell at him saying that he sent. The wrong sermon. Which of course. She heard. A completely different sermon. Then the one. And so it is often with you my friends. Every once in awhile one of you will say to me. Dreamer when you put your picture about such and so. I would love a copy of that sermon and i have absolutely no idea what they're talking about i've never i never addressed that theme at all not even close i have no idea what they mean. The mystery here. Is it neither of us. Preacher or listener. Neither is crazy. Or stupid or inattentive. It's just that the sermon preached is often quite different from the sermon heard. That is the great mystery and blessing of a sermon experience. No one not even god. Is in charge of what magically happens between the pulpit and the pew. But nevermind the curious gaps between. Preachers and listeners. What about it what about when you simply do not approve of what you have heard from me. From this woodbox up here. I know this may at first seem counterintuitive but the truth is that sometimes. I do my best sunday work as a preacher. When you disagree with what i have said or what you think i have said. Every once in awhile and not too frequently here thank god but every once in awhile. Someone in the current gation i have preached are served will approach me in the reception line following the service. Already red-faced with their veins on their neck showing fierce of glance saying i totally disagree with what you said this morning or even worse to me. Now while all preachers prefer happy and grateful listeners. The truth is it is not a failure or a tragedy when people find themselves in radical disagreement. With what i express from this pulpit on a sunday. Indeed sometimes believe it or not. It even means. But i've done my job as a preacher. Perfectly right. When what i say in a sermon be a spiritual or ethical or theological or political or personal. Triggers some strong disagreement within you. That i have in fact done my job. Of triggering and encouraging you to think. And feel and reflect more deeply on your life and your place in that. And thereby is a preacher. I've helped you irritated though you are at me. To move yourself along with some greater clarity of personal thought believe her action. So when you're really pissed off i don't care. That's an ad-lib it's not here. All of this is by way of my saying to you that when i step in this pulpit it is not my job i want to repeat this it is not my job. Just simply confirm or faithfully regurgitate to you. All of your cherished long-held opinions beliefs experience or convictions that's not my job. My job is to speak as honestly clearly and compassionately as i can. From my own heart and mind as a you you. To what i believe is of universal and ultimate importance. Now don't get me wrong. It's nice and profoundly reassuring to me as your minister this happens all the time. When the reception line you go past me and and say. Thank you you've articulated exactly what i believe it's so helpful to have you articulate that for me today. But it is also important and useful for me when you tell me. That you personally find yourself in a very different place. In our free tradition when i step into this pulpit as your minister. I am not of course speaking as god. Nor as god's anointed messenger. And what's more i do not speak for unitarian-universalism and i do not speak for you usb b. I speak for myself. As one thoughtful individual doing the best i can yes is a professional minister. To articulate and affirm what i believe is real and true and loving and right. That's my only job. Let me tell you about something unpleasant that happened to me as a result of a sermon i preached back in the last congregation i served in maryland. River road. It was a big church we would have bought about 1,300 people in that church. One sunday in that affluent and very liberal suburban maryland congregation filled with inside-the-beltway types most of whom we thought they were the smartest people in the room but that's a subject for another day. Will they did if you ran part of the world bank you'd think that too. I preached the sermon. Morality of the death penalty. And struggled out loud with my ethical ambivalence about whether or not the death penalty is ever justified. In terms of defending the inherent worth and dignity. Of every person. Our first principle. When i get finished to parishioners of mine we're so upset. That i had not reached the exact same public policy conclusion they held. That being that the death penalty was always always wrong it could not be considered in the uu context. They were so mad at me they threatened to resign from the church. Talk about fundamentalist. Please please. When you listen to me speak from his pulpit do not imagine me to be the mouthpiece of god or the mouthpiece of unitarian universalism. Not even the voice of unitarian-universalism here in vero beach i am none of the above. Here in this congregation in the interchange between pulpit and pew. We are together all responsible for the voice and the face. Case of our faith. All of this is by way of my saying to you. Please no one trusts that in the time in this time-honored role of preacher. I am prepared even eager. To hear back from you. What you believe or feel or no. Even if it differs radically from what i have just said. And that leads me to say something now which i as a preacher can never say enough. Whether you are bothered by something i have said from the pulpit. Or thrilled by every word that comes out of my mouth. I always want to hear from you. I counted a good sunday and i've had several recently. Where my email box is full on monday morning 567 emails from you. Responding. To the sermon i know the sermon was effective. When i get email the next morning. Whether you approve or are outraged by what you've heard i want to hear how my words and thoughts. Have affected you again better for worse. And i try to not be too defensive. When you're really. While it's at you you preacher. I know perfectly well. Maryland taught me this very well that you cannot keep all the people happy all of the time. For like all. All of our congregations you are diverse and free-thinking bunch i will never be able to keep you all happy. But your reactions to an about my sermons both emotional and intellectual. Are invaluable to me as i strive to become the best minister i can for this community. Though sometimes i will admit it is hard for preachers not to react defensively when someone from the pew. Complains or protests or disagree but i trust me i really want you to keep those. Cards and letters coming even if they're on reruns. I depend on your direct feedback to make me a better and more sensitive and responsive. Preacher. For this is truly. A relational pulpit. Has my book. Suggested. And those we arrived full-circle back. To the title of this book relational. Although i am usually the only one in physical possession of this box. It is truly a dialogic. And relational place. We're together through the carefully-crafted words i speak. And the generous and discerning listening you do. You and i participate in the important work of living our religion. And growing our hearts and our souls and our minds to better places than they are now. A good sermon is nothing more. Stylized. And serious 2-way religious conversation. Designed to help all of us move our lives. Tour deeper truer better places of humanness. Together. Preacher and pugh. Share in an ongoing journey of discovery purpose growth and reflection. Returning to our lives after the sermon has ended and my words have trailed off. End of the infiniti of silence. With more clarity we proceed. Hopefully. And hope. For this complicated and challenging business of living. Please know that i will always sincerely strive to hold up my end of the conversation. With as much thoughtfulness and wisdom as i can and i count on you. Through your generous and critical listening. To do the same. And now it is simply time for me to say. And mean. Might leave you with the words of my colleague lauralyn bellamy. If here you have found freedom. Take it with you into the world. If you have found comfort. Going to share it with others. If you have dreamed dreams. Help one another that they may come true. If you have no one love. Give some back. To a bruised. And hurting world. Go in peace.

uufvb_org

2012Aug05Sermon128.mp3

Well good morning. And welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach on this first sunday. In august of the year 2012 a gentle morning. Aerosol. We are glad you have chosen to be with us this morning. Please know you're welcome just as you come to us. Whether you were younger role. Gay or straight. Black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. Whether you were feeling on top of the world this morning. Or down in the dumps. Somewhere in between. We welcome you just. You come to us and all of your. Circularity in charm. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. And that you will find something here perhaps just one nugget. That nourishes your spirit. And feed your soul and gives you renewed energy for the. Living of life. In the days and weeks ahead. The following reading is a nautical. Bikereg or whitney. Entitled. A way out of the gun stalemate. The national conversation about guns. Since. The james e holmes shot. 12 people to death. And wounded 58 others. At a movie theater in aurora colorado. Has been a dialogue of the deaf. Unless gun control advocates and gun rights supporters stop screaming at each other. I'm look for common ground on how to deal with gun violence. The next massacre. Is only a matter of time. To end the impasse. Liberals and the nra most each give ground. Liberals have to deprive the national rifle association of its core argument. That the real aim of all gun-control measures is to strip americans of their right. To have and use firearms. Gun-control supporters must make it clear that they accept that americans have had this individual common-law right. Since jamestown and the plymouth colony. That the right was recognized in the second amendment to the constitution in 1791 and that the supreme court affirmed its constitutionality. In 2008. Liberals should accept that the only realistic way to control gun violence. Is not by keeping guns out of the hands. I was many americans as possible but by keeping guns out of the hands of people we all agree should not have them. Gun owners and their advocates most intern. Stop insisting that gun ownership isn't absolute right. The second amendment is not a law unto itself. Before and after 1791. The right to keep and bear arms has been inseparable from civic responsibility. Originally the duty to answer a call to carry arms. In defense of community or country. As part of militia service. Today. With 30,000 firearms. Deaths. The civic duty. Is to find ways for gun ownership and public safety. To better. Coexist. Yet the nra continues to act as if gun owners have no responsibility to anyone but themselves. And their families. So far liberals and centrists have done more to adopt a reasonable position. The president of the brady campaign to prevent gun violence. Has lately begun to emphasize. But it accepts the supreme court ruling on the second amendment. Which also upheld longstanding prohibition. I'm gone ownership by felons. And the mentally ill. And gun bans in schools and government buildings. The nra has frightened lawmakers. Into giving your credibility. It does not deserve. Even after president obama. Trying to start a dialogue on gun violence last year stating. Quote. I believe that the second amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. Unquote. The nra flatly rebuked his overture and urged its members to vote against. Mr. obama so that he could not. Try to deprive them of gun rights. Through supreme court. Appointments in his second term. Again. Unless gun-control advocates. And gun-rights supporters stop screaming at each other i'm look for the common ground on how to deal with gun violence. The next massacre. Is only a matter of time. It was just 16 days ago now. Wendell owen assumedly mentally disturbed young gunman by the name of james holmes. Breast and body armor and a helmet. Stormed into a crowded late-night movie theater in aurora colorado an open fire with a military. Style assault weapon a fully operational machine gun. Loaded with a 100-round magazine. Would you legally purchase. Killing 12 people. Unix 58 many of whom remain in the hospital tenuously holding to life. This cruel and vicious crime committed for no apparent reason. Against innocent strangers. Has shocked and saddened our nation of course. And there's been much written and said about the senseless slaughter including at the highest levels of our government. Justin's there is every time. Every time. Some mentally imbalanced loner in america gets his hands on an assault weapon and commits mass. No of course i must tell you it is not on my heart to be even the least bit koi polite or tentative about what i'm going to say this. As my rather blunt sermon title. Evidence. There is in my opinion an absolute cultural insanity afoot in america today. And that madness is the irrational love affair our culture has with guns and violence. It'll be almost total lack in most parts of our nation of any sensible. Rational gun control. This irrational and unacceptable relationship we have with guns leads to incredible unnecessary carnage. Each year in america you may not know more than 100,000 american men women and children. Are shot. Or killed with a gun. Guns in america annually cause of death of more than 30,000 citizens. Including scores of folks here on the treasure coast. 300000 men women and children that's half of the vietnam war's total each year. And more than 4,000 of these deaths each year. Are children under 19. We are sadly the most gun-toting gun-crazy people in the industrialized world. With a murder rate just for example. Not one two three or four times higher than canadian people. 65 times higher. And the canadian people are neighbors. I have only one essential point this morning so i might as well be out. Clear and concise now. The insanity of gun use the resulting carnage in america is a preventable trash. Which we can and must change. We can and must change this by a concerted. Persistent and passionate citizen action. To transform and at the same inn. Same. At the same time in an equal measure. Transform public attitudes. And public policies about guns. And their use. As a nation we can no longer tolerate the current state of affairs we have with gun. Mooring the face of american life as it does. Within the current guidelines of the gun rights established by the 2nd amendment to the constitution as reaffirmed by the supreme court reese. Play within those guidelines. And much more on that in a moment. We must have in this country a radical shift. In both our national thinking. And in legislation. At all levels of government. About guns. And they're available. We must persuade. The vast majority of america the american people. That the current situation with guns liberation and violence in america. Is an unacceptable. It's unacceptable for us is a peep. As a people concern for the health and the safety and well-being of one another we must decide together. To establish and enforce. 6 strict and substantial gun control and thereby and so much unnecessary sorrow and death. Now i realize that to a large extent i'm preaching to the choir this. At least. Largest. While there is no doubt some disagreement among us on this hot-button american issue which is why i've scheduled. Congregational conversation on this. So everyone has a chance to express their views and their perspectives. Well there's no doubt some disagreement among us in general. Unitarian universalist have is a faith group. Long and passionately advocated for gun control in america. Over the recent decades we have passed three general assembly resolutions general assemblies when we gather each year in june. 3 calling for substantial gun control in this country. And i suspect i need not spend a whole lot of time. Outlining and arguing the basic facts of destructiveness of guns in america but here is a brief. Summary of the situation. We find ourselves and it's necessary to understand where we are before we can look for the right. Because there are very few substantiv gun controls except in a handful of isolated. The jurisdictions like massachusetts new york city and the disc. Columbia. Here in the united states we are a nation wash. And personally held. Deadly weapon. Although. There is some statistical discrepancies in disputes. It is estimated that there are presently more than 200 million. Privately owned guns in the united states. A majority of them you may not know are hunting weapons. Rifles and shotguns. Used for the most part. Wisely safely and responsibly by law-abiding citizens most especially in rural america. Where hunting and guns are. But there are also here in america today more than 65 million. Privately owned handguns out there in public circulation. In our homes. On our streets. And in. Ar. And on our person. Which of course the handgun is not a honeywell. And it is designed. For the express and singular purpose of killing or at least threatening other person. A decade ago i myself was held up by gunpoint. By just such a weapon on a street near my home. And beyond these many millions of handguns in america there are. And this is where things really get crazy. Hundreds of thousands of military-style automatic assault weapons out there in private hands. Like the gun. Used. By the killer in aurora colorado to. Even the national rifle association the lobbying arm of gun manufacturers that is their primary. Supporters. And retailers and. Gun-rights absolutist. Do not deny. Mid-america is a wash. And deadly weapon. The cannon do fall into the. This incredible tour for clarification. Of guns in america is not an abstract. A problem for me personally. I was absolutely shocked during a recent christmas season visit to my extended family back in wisconsin. What a pleasant one at a pleasant and noisy holiday party at one of my cousin's home. On the milwaukee river. With the inevitable green bay packer game blaring in the background thank god for the packers. And dozens of kids and grandkids scurrying about the house one of my second cousin's a perfectly nice. And well-behaved fifteen-year-old boy. Was all of a sudden parading around the home brandishing a large semi-automatic handgun with a multiple round clip. That his parents my perfectly. A scene seeming cousin and his wife. Had just given him. As a christmas gift. Under the christmas tree. My first reaction to the sudden presence of this instrument of death. But the hands of an adolescent boy. Was discomfort in fear. I worried with so many kids present about the damn thing being unwittingly loaded or somehow going off and killing or hurting somebody. And my adolescent relative was swinging the thing around like a toy clearly had not received proper training. About how to handle such a deadly weapon. Even. All what we all assumed was unloaded. Once my roth ear and anxiety about being in such close proximity to this deadly weapon subsided. My second reaction was a mixture of cultural sadness and personal incredulity. What could my cousin have been thinking. When he gave this child of his. This thing. How could my bright and generally responsible cousin neil. Play such a deadly weapon. It is on. Child. What possible constructive or acceptable purpose could this weapon have. In the life of a 15 year old boy. Don't his parents i wonder understand the manifold dangers of the. Vicious weapon. When i asked the boy what in heaven's name this gun was for he said it was to hunt. Wild boar in tennessee where he had some other family when he visits in the summer. But i grew up in wisconsin hunting and i know you don't hunt wild boar with a semi-automatic. Handgun. You shouldn't. This was not a real logical purpose for a concealable. Semi-automatic handgun. And i also sadly know plenty. About human nature and folly to fear that this gun. May someday be accidentally or intentionally used. With tragic and powerful results. I was profoundly saddened that crew. Set my own extended family of whom i'm generally proud and i think they're pretty same people you know my my ewing. Plan. Has. Attitude. It would allow this to her. The simpson caused me to realize it if my own family's attitudes and behaviors are any indication we americans. Are going to face a long slow hard road in order to change radically change. The place the guns have. In the life. Of our. Perhaps a little cultural history about guns in america is helpful. As i have already observed americans most particularly of course mail. Have a long and passionate affair love affair with guns. When you think about it having and carrying guns from the frontier days until now. Have been the quintessential expression of rugged individualism. So many american males have valued as a personality trait. If not a birthright. We all grew up watching movies and television were guns were constantly present both in the hands of the good guys and the bad guys. But a quick but interesting historical sidebar here we generally think that in the good old days america every household had a gun but that is not true. The new york times recently reported it's a total myth. The most american families were armed in the 18th and 19th century. In the early days of our nation fewer than 5%. Of american homes. That's one and 20. Had a gun. Did you know that. 1. They were probably plenty of guns out in the wild west sure dodge city places like that. What is a nation. Guns were not that common. But nonetheless in recent american culture. Having and carrying a gun. As an individual citizen for non-military purposes. Is away i think of wordlist lee saying hey look at me i can take care of myself. I will take care of myself. I'm not going to trust the government or the police or anyone else. To protect me and my family my gun in. Lycon and me are the only security system. That i need. So when you combine this attitude of macho self-reliance. With the strain of anti-government paranoia. Which has always been in existence in the united states. That paranoia which receives the tacit support of the national rifle association. Which basically suggests that. Government is always trying to take away my gun and that will. Render me unable to defend myself against despotic government. That is. Cultural strain. In the argument of the nra and in this nation as a whole that somehow if we don't have guns. The government is. Destroyers. Let there be no mistaking the cultural reality here. And let there be no political or spiritual illusions. Those of us in the society who want our governments. At all levels to pass laws imposing imposing substantiv gun. Control. For the safety and security are all we are in for a long and bitter political and cultural fight. Especially from the absolutist. And aggressive nra. Which has for at least a generation now. Struck such terror in the hearts of those in our elected congress. Who want their support. I don't want their money. Yes. Every time there is a bloody and senseless massacre like that which just happened in aurora colorado. Public opinion shifts somewhat. Toward wanting. Increased and real gun control. But on the other side of the gun issue. They're the millions of lobbying dollars from gun interests not to mention. The persistent set of long-held american male attitude. It's about the. Virtue of having a gun that i've already des. And of course standing at the very center of the gun control debate is the second amendment. To the united states constitution. Which neither side in this national gun-control debate. Should or can dismiss or ignore. You may not know that there are actually two slightly different versions of the second amendment and here they are i'm going to project them up on the wall so that we can see them. As passed by the congress. It reads a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. What does ratified by the states it reads. A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state. The right of the people. To keep and bear arms. Shall not be infringed did you know these two different slightly. The difference here. This is a historical and legal curiosity. And conch and constitutional scholars have long debated. The commons. The comments the three comets. Arguing between themselves passionately whether or not the second amendment. Was intended by the founders. Solely to permit the states to gather and keep malicious. Armed militia. Or whether it was intended to both permit malicious. And the private ownership of guns. And we can take that down now. We're done with that. No. This american citizen. Has personally long been of the opinion and it is just that my opinion. That the authors of the bill of rights were only addressing the issue of state militias. And not protecting the right of personal gun ownership. As a center to prevent handgun violence points out quote. When the us constitution as adopted each of the state had its own militia. A military force. Comprised of ordinary citizens serving as part-time soldiers. The militia was well-regulated. In the sense that its members were subject to various requirements. Such as training. Supplying their own firearms and engaging in military exercises away from home. It was a form they write a compulsory military service. The militia was not. As the gun lobby will often claim simply another word. For the populace at large. Us constitution day go on established a permanent professional army. Controlled by the federal government. And state militias were viewed as a counterbalance. To the federal army. And the second amendment they conclude was written to prevent the federal government. From disarming the state militias. And as conservative supreme court justice warren burger wrote in 1991. I'ma gun man he said. But the second amendment is the subject of one of the greatest pieces of fraud on the american public by a special interest group. But i've ever seen in my lifetime. The nra he said. Has misled the american people. The very language of the second amendment does not even remotely guarantee every person the constitutional right to have a saturday night special. Or a machine gun. Without any regulation whatever. And then he is. There is no support in the constitution. For the argument that federal and state governments are powerless to regulate. The purchase and use. Of such firearms. So by my injustice burgers logic and i realize that the nra and other passionate gun advocates argue the opposite. By my logic the author of the bill of rights. Wanted to ensure the right of. I've had they wanted. To ensure the right of private gun ownership. They would have expanded the wording of the second amendment to include a phrase like this. The right of people to privately keep and bear arms. Shall not be infringed. But they did not. Any such. But and this is a huge butt. For better or worse in 2008 and 2010 our supreme court in a narrow 5-4 decision. Little lawn conservative-liberal fault line. Stated that the second amendment does provide americans. The fundamental right. Do privately bear arms. Unconnected to militia service. A right they aren't they said that cannot be violated by state. And local laws. Justice samuel alito wrote one of the opinions for the dominant conservative on the court said. This is his opinion. It is clear that the framers. Counted the right to keep and bear arms among those fundamental rights. Necessary to our system of orderly liberty. The second amendment he went on for text. A personal right. To keep and bear arms. Or lawful lawful purposes most noticeably. For self-defense. Within the home. No. As disconcerting and i think arbitrary and selective as misinterpretation of the second amendment is to me. And two others were sick about gun violence. It is very important to note. That this narrow is narrow court decision. Is. Anna is is the law of the land but it did not. It did not strike down any federal state or local gun control laws. Currently on the book from united states all they said was it in district of columbia they could not outlaw guns.. But all the other regulations the supreme court left standing. The decision of the supreme court affirmed simply the overall principle. Of the right to individual gun ownership. Saying about other things that the government of the district of columbia could not totally prohibit them. Crucially. Then at this juncture in american history and jurisprudence. It remains for future federal courts. To sort out precisely how far. Gun control legislation at any level of government. Can go. Regulations like mental health. And criminal background checks. Gun registration requirements. Cooling off for waiting periods for gun purchases and ammunition purchases. Mandatory training. And lock requirements extended magazine and type of weapon limits and other gun-control measures. How far these things can go before they infringe upon the second. That is what remains. To be seen in the courts. I for one is a citizen deeply concerned about the escalating gun violence in our nation. Pray the future courts will understand. The practical and moral necessity. Not of banning all guns that argument apparently is over in ark. But for upholding. Reasonable. Gun control laws. Pass by local state and federal government. To protect. Their citizens. From gunfire. For the foreseeable future because of that narrow supreme court majority. It looks like individual gun ownership is going to be a protected right. But that does not mean that we as a people cannot decide. By political and cultural consensus. To radically control and limit what kinds of guns are available. And how they are to be used and by whom. America right now is deeply divided about guns. We have so many hot-button issues. In this country that divided the country right down the middle and this is one of them. And i see no way around this cultural conflict. What is craig whitney wisely affirmed in the reading this morning. The reverend. Page shared with us. If we are to make any progress. Preventing senseless gun massacres like the one that just happened at that movie. You're in colorado. Advocates on both sides. Of this heated debate are going to have to back away. From their self-righteous and absolutist position. And look for that sensible middle ground. Where we americans will find a workable way to curb. These terrible massacre. The terrible amount of death. We have in homes. Guns are used by. Kids sunday. Define amended. It is my hope. That reasonable and civic-minded americans will at this juncture in our national history. Come to accept two equally important rules about guns in america to equally important intertwine. The guns. For better or worse. Apart. Permanent and pervasive part of our cultural landscape. And that the second amendment will probably continue to be interpreted. By the federal courts to ensure the rights of individual americans. To keep and bear arms. And the other truth. Is it if we as a people are to live with one another with safety and sanity and security. We're going to have two together know how. To an end. If we're going to ever get to that place where we really have life. Liberty and the pursuit of happiness with one another. We must somehow move. Toward agreement. On rational and reasonable gun control. That will legally limit. The insane gun mayhem. On our street. And in our homes. Schools. Workplaces and other public. No i'm a realist. And i have no illusions. But some of the partisans. On the extreme edges of this debate like the nra on the thundergun loving side and some of the more ardent gun-control groups on the other end of the spectrum. Who want to ban everything. That the extremists in the debate will refuse to ever can entertain the idea. America needs to move to the center on this issue. And accept. At the same time. Both gun rights. And gun control. Extremist will not live with these two ideas. Only the middle will live. With these. Two ideas. But i am powerfully persuaded the both sides in this debate. Are going to need as mr whitney suggested how to listen. And to respect. The legitimate arguments. Perspectives of their opponents. And work with one another to find that responsible middle ground. With a lives of all americans can be. First and foremost on my sensible when i call centrist gun-control measures. Is a ban. An automatic large weapon military-style assault weapons like the one used in aurora to kill and wound almost a. Other sensible centrist gun-control measures. That we must now consider. Include many things that i've been. Background checks. Gun purchase waiting.. Registration training and lock requirements. Closing. Foolish gun show loophole. Limiting ammunition and magazine purchases. And other limiting restraints on the availability of deadly weapons. Today at the social justice table i. We have multiple copies of three. Online petitions you can sign if you go online taking those. King's home. Read some of these. Controls most especially the ban on assault weapons. So if you're interested in more information. There is some at. Social justice table. I am an advocate. For all these gun-control measures which again i believe are solidly and reasonably centrist. In the fatal owl and protect. Private gun ownership. Wound protector. All at the same time. Significantly protecting. The common good. Safety. I believe in these things because i'm a unitarian universalist. The first and guiding principle of our faith. Wild assertion. The inherent worth and dignity. It is the worth and dignity of persons. Our religion is devoted. 12 holding an unerring and protect. Guns. Of all types. Are all too frequently used in our nation to senselessly terminate the live. Of innocent. Guns. Cruelly snuff out the inherent worth and dignity. Of all their victim. And wreak havoc. In our homes. And our neighborhoods. And our schools. So if we must have so many guns in america. And for better or worse that seems to be our cultural faith. If we must have so many guns. Them at least let it be with as many clear and sensible controls in place. To protect all of us together. This is a moral issue. Of profound importance to our nation. And i pray that all of you. Will lend your voices. For this is a democracy. And the individual voice does matter. That you will lend all your voices. In this american dad. Speak up. For measured gun. And work with others of goodwill. Twins. And i say to you and me. Every sunday at the first parish of concord massachusetts one of our oldest congregations they say this to one another in benediction. Go out into the world in peace. Have courage. Hold on to what is good. Return to know person. Strengthen the faint-hearted. Support the week. Help the suffering. Honor. All. May it be so with.

uufvb_org

2014Jun15Sermon32.mp3

Good morning on this father's day or how many dads we got out here. Fraser hands. It's your day it's today hope you get something out of it. We're glad you're all here. You know what i mean. Unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we are so pleased that all of you have chosen to be with us this morning. We are at the graphics said just a moment ago a congregation of open minds. Loving hearts and helping hands people seeking to become our best individual selves. Even as together we work to make our world a better place. And please know i say this every sunday you're welcome precisely as you come to us this morning. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What do you have a ged or a phd. Whether you're a visitor with us this morning or even coming for deck. Whether you're feeling on top of the world. Or down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you this morning just as you come to us. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. And then you will find something here this morning. That nourishes your spirit and feeds your soul and gives you renewed energy and purpose for the living of life. In the days ahead. What do you think of someone who lies and cheats. And then goes to church on sunday. Abby's response was. The person was going to the right place. That's right we gather here and something or pious or righteous beyond reproach. We gather for worship because we know deep to our bones that good and well meaning as we are we are none the less fraught flawed and fragile human beings who fall short. Of our best selves on a regular basis. And so imperfect people that we are we gather here on sunday. To remind ourselves that we can always grow into better people. Becoming in our daily living weiser. Kinder. And more responsible as human beings. In fact when you think about it perfect people shouldn't come to church they just ruin the experience for the rest of us. Because. This congregation is for imperfect people like you and me. People who want to grow a soul. People who want to become bigger. People. Who want to love. More broadly. Welcome. Perfectly imperfect. So this morning of all things the preachers going to talk about preaching. Reading is by frederick buechner a presbyterian preacher in theologian it's my favorite quotation about the art of preaching. It's actually at this is my book on preaching the relational pulpit and i began this book with this quotation. It's about 30 years old. So the ham comes to a close with an unsteady amen. And the organist. Gestures the choir to sit down. Fresh from breakfast with his wife and children and a quick run-through of the sunday papers the preacher climbs the steps of the pulp. With his sermon in hand. He hikes his blackroll bethany's so he will not trip over it on the way up. His mouth is a little dry. He has cut himself shaving. He feels as if he's swallowed an anchor. If it weren't for the honor of the thing he just assumed be somewhere else. In the front pew the old ladies turn up their hearing aids. And a young lady slips her six-year-old a lifesaver and a magic marker. A college sophomore home from vacation was there because he was dragged there slumps forward. With his club in his hands. The vice-president of a bank who was twice that week. Seriously contemplated suicide. Places his hymnal. Back. A pregnant girl feels. The life stirring inside her. High school math teacher who for 20 years has managed to keep his homosexuality a secret. For the most part even from himself. Kris has his order of service down the center with his thumbnail and tucks it under his. The preacher pulls the little cord that turns on the lectern light and deals out his notecards like a riverboat gambler. The stakes have never been higher. 2 minutes from now he may have lost his listeners completely to their own thoughts. But at this moment. He has them in the palm of his hand. The silence in the church. Is deafening. Everybody. Is listening. Including even himself. Everybody was the kinds of things he has told them and not told them. In the past but who knows. What he will tell them this time. Out of the silence. Here in this beautiful sanctuary i have the privilege or is it the pier. In this time-honored and respected place called the pulpit. And i break the silence. This morning i want to reflect on the art and honour of preaching i want to ask what does it mean for one person and. This sunday it's me and most sundays it's me. Here at uscb. What does it mean for one person to be given the authority to preach to others. And what is this formally spoken thing we call a sermon that results. No i have been a professional paid preacher for more than 40 years. And i've delivered many hundreds of sermons but i could have brought them all up here for you in the many file folders i have every damn one of them for. Any sermons a hundreds of them a variance tile and i might as well admit it varying quality i mean think about her folks minister only preaches his best and all the rest or something less than. In any case. I appreciate your after year on many hundreds of topics in many unitarian universalist congregation to most particularly. The five conjugations i have served from northern maine. The vero beach i've always lived within a mile of route 1 can you imagine that. And i'm proud to say. I've written one of the few books as i said on the art and craft of preaching from a youyou perspective it's called the relational pulpit. Closing the gap between. Preacher and pugh. It's published it was published in 99 is going out of print i went online is still available in pdf format. I've also over my career regularly taught preaching to my colleagues in ministry both at the seminary levelland at uua sponsored intensive. Are all over the country. But i've almost never talked about the art and the meaning of preaching to the congregations lifeserve. This is a curious omission because preaching and sermons. Play i think a central role in the life of this indeed every uu congregation. Trudeau are protestant routes almost every sunday we gather here to reflect on life as i sent the opening words were not perfect. Practice our religion and renew ourselves for the week ahead. And we set aside approximately half of the our allotted for worship. Experience together. And much of the rest of the service from the music to other elements like the readings meditation. I routinely crafted to shape and shape to complement and intensify the message. Of the sermon. Preaching which is a form of religious communication that is as old of course as human. Culture itself. Preaching is very important to our liberal religious tradition. And it is so important for us to understand i think as a religious community. What express preaching is and what at its best of equal importance what preaching is. Not. There are of course many styles and forms of preaching done in america. Since the beginning of american unitarianism an american universalism in the late 1700s. Ours has been alerted and scholarly preaching tradition. Our clergy have always been highly educated and trained. Sermons in our tradition have almost invariably been fully researched and written discourses that are carefully crafted and put the paper. Although i must tell you an increasing number of my colleagues around the country are now practicing the art of what is called extemporaneous. Which of course is preaching a lot of texts or barely even having note. Now even though this more informal and spontaneous style of preaching is all the rage right now i must tell you that i'm. Kind of stuck in my ways. You won't see xscape irenaeus preaching from me. I've always believed in the practice and careful discipline of writing my sermons out entirely. Do i do from time to time wanda ross my text awesome at my peril. And you can all site examples of that. I sometimes say that wasn't the text i didn't really mean that. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries of course carefully handwritten. Antenna inc. The old unitarians in boston on the universal assault on the country. In the twentieth century they were typed on manual or electric typewriters i started out. In the early seventies in northern maine little hermes portable green typewriter. What a mess that was. 21st century of car sermons are now compose and edited on computers. Thank god for computers how did i ever edit or write without a computer and and the internet for whoever goes to library anymore. Most sermons on your condition are still carefully thought-out and written out. Outloud. To live conjugation like this one. Listen. To the carefully-crafted area addition i went to my. 1903 copy of canning sermon running hour-and-a-half by the way. Word for word they're written out. So i went to this walk and i opened it to anyone and this is the paragraph. That i found it happens to be from channing's famous sermon on unitarian christian. Crafted armor in 1843. Give our views of god in one word we believe in his parental character. We ascribe to him not only the name but the dispositions and principles of a father. Father's day sermon. We believe that he has a father's concern for his creatures. A father's desire for the improvement of father's equity and portioning his commands to their power a father's choice a father's readiness to receive the petty. A father's justice for the incorrigible. We looked anyone on upon this world to place of education which has training men and women by prosperity and adversity and passion by motives of duty and temptation to sin and by various disciplines suited to free and moral beings for union with him. Self. And for a sublime and ever-growing virtue in heaven. Since the beginnings than of our liberal religious traditions preaching has been practiced and thoughtful art. There's nothing sloppy or loud or repetitious or casual about it. Look for lot of americans the first image that pops into their heads when they think about preaching. Is some sort of loud and frenetic televangelist jimmy swaggart. It'll all sweaty with the flowers around them with the open bible ranting and screaming and sweating and dropping and all that stuff that's what a lot of people think of. The tradition is also very much alive in the black church there's a television here in indian river county where the preaching is spontaneous. Interrogations were yelling back encouragement. Now this surely is preaching. But it's not. Our style of preaching. For generations now ministers have taught evan taught that careful preparation. Is the largest and most important and most energy and time-consuming task of their professional. The rule of thumb for 20 minutes. He better spend 20 hours preparing that's one of my ministers once wryly observed i didn't have time last week to prepare a 20-minute cinnamon. So i preach for half an hour. Is a finely crafted discourse that the writer struggles over. And let me tell you one key skill and preaching is knowing how to edit yourself. Sometimes what makes a sermon great is what you have the wisdom. Not to include but to leave out. Images important sermons are written. And frequently later published to be read as we do on our website not only do i publish all of them in written form all of my sermons from the last 30 years are on the on the world wide web and by the way i sometimes get letters from methodist ministers in uno. In spite of the fact that they're written. The sermon experience is always alive interactive interpersonal and. Unrepeatable event. Many times i am asked by someone who is mr. particular sunday here. If the sermon i preached is available in print and i tell them of course it is. But the truth is that reading a sermon after-the-fact over a cup of coffee at home. Without the presence of the actor in without the presence and energy of the audience. Maybe meaningful helpful to rita sermon it always pales i think in comparison. To the sunday morning moment of a live animated preacher stepping into a pulpit risking a conversation. With the people in front of him or her. This is similarly true the videotape versions of my sermon which rick is taping this morning. You can always watch those on demand from your home computer. And again is helpful in as this as this technology is. I must tell you the truth a sermon experience in this remote. And disembodied way will always be something different and i say something less. And if you experience it in a room like this. With a group of other people. Now don't get me wrong i'm profoundly glad we have video sermons that go all over the world. This modern technology enables many of you to catch sermons on sunday in there so many isolated religious liberals. Uno which which ministers websites to go to to watch sermons if i had a i had a bed-bound you you in. Coffeyville kansas if you can imagine that. And her name is debbie and she used to watch my sermons from coffeyville kansas from her bed. It allows newcomers and seekers to check us out before they actually visit you be surprised the plumber visit to sit while i looked at about half a dozen of your sermons before i dared come in here. And i would never have us go back to the old days when the only way to hear a sermon was to be there on sunday morning. But it is important for us to remember that the full power and energy and i dare i say the magic and grace. Of a sermon can only be experienced fully if you are here. In the flesh of the moment on sunday morning with other good folks who gone to the trouble of getting up. Team sells breakfast reading part of the paper and coming in here. What i'm saying is every sermon delivered here. Whether it's me or pete kersey or someone else. Is blessedly bound up in the actual moment is preached a sermon is always an unrepeatable moment. I'm sharing an interchange between the pulpit in the pew. Some of the magic is always lost when you go to video or print. And in my book the relational pulpit. I make the case that a sermon if it is worthy. To be called that is always a humble act. Conversation. Dialogue and relationship. Between the preacher in the pew. It is a live conversation even though i'm most sundays please. I'm the only one in the room talking. When i step into this pulpit and into the role of preacher. With all of you sitting out there in the tennis finals and i'm basically glad you don't scream. Waiting respectfully you for me to speak i understand. It should be the most singular and important opportunity we have. Each week. As a community to gather in the work of our religion and the work of our lives. It is my job i think. When it comes time for the sermon. To try to articulate for the whole community something of significance. An important. And this is always done. Best not from on high. Not from some authoritative preach i've i've preached in some of our new england churches where the pulpit is like 40 feet above the pew and that's a weird experience believe me you talked about and then we have those. And in case they ever drop those are amazing places to preach and scary if you ask me those nineteenth-century pulpit. How where was i not from on high. People's divergences that get me i got lost. When i begin my sermon it is never i assure you with the intention or illusion. Of constantly bestowing. Tanya some superbly finished or crystallized. Germ of truth from god or anyone else. As if i would ever know what that was. What i preach i am respectfully offering something out of the particularity of myself would. My thoughts my logic my emotions and passions my experience and conclusion. My convictions and yes my confusions. I'm offering these things for your consideration. As ralph waldo emerson famously said to the newly-minted unitarian ministers graduating from harvard in 1838 the famous. Line all you young ministers know. Wear it whenever the pulpit is usurped by a formulas. He said. Then the work that then is the worshipper defrauded. And disconsolate. The true preacher can be known by this. That he deals out to the people has life. Passed through the fire of thought. That he deals out to the people. His life. Past. Through the fire of thought. I want you to know that. That is my sincere goal to try to get voice again from out of the particularity. And the truth and limitations of who i am as one human being. Just something that will hopefully be universal importance or significance formative to all of us. Every time i step into the pulpit in the role. And the responsibilities of being a minister. Justice i've taken loving care to prepare for the moment. The each of you are here prepared to sincerely engage and interact with whatever. I have decided to address on that particular day. I can be prepared but you asked. Compared to. What are the finest you you ministers of the twentieth century was a guy named john cyrus. Who served our large downtown church in milwaukee wisconsin for decades. He was a dearly beloved. Well a hopeless preacher. And once he was talking to me at a study group and he was saying. I'm not very good preacher but aren't those people milwaukee every sunday they're out there in the pews. And that's right. Good creatures are always made by good congregations. And i want you to know that i appreciate all the many ways you here at uscb. Help me to become a more effective preacher. Through your generous and attentive. Listening. And while i'm pausing here to thank you for your role and making my preaching better. I want to pause and confess something. The unitarian universalist ministers often say to one another but don't dare share with you. Despite the fact that all clergy like to complain and whine about how hard it is to write a sermon every week. The fact is that most of us can't believe you're actually paid a salary. Are offices and thinking research about the most important stuff in the world who actually pay me to do that. Packers. Yeah that's right in a new york minute. I actually have the opportunity to be listened to by serious and respectful people. Joining with me on the great journey tour truth and hoping meaning. Gasping preacher week-in and week-out a x is very hard especially hit writer's block or just don't know what's left to say. Privileged to be in this role in this context of supportive speakers and i really do love. The work. Preparing sermons. But that having been said i want to move on and talk honestly about one of the most. Mysterious and if you think about it the most obvious truths about preaching. Many times on sunday morning the affective meaning of the sermon. Has little or nothing to do with the actual words that i prepared on paper. This is because as i said. Every sermon has to active participants. The preacher. To craft his or her words. Write his or her poetry tells his or her own story and fashions his or her own arguments and conclusions and the second participant the listener. Who is filtering considering weighing and working with. The preacher's material. From the perspective of their own quite separate. Indistinct. Humanness. As a preacher i know full well that when i as one particular person speak. Going somewhere. Particular out of my own experience. Did you out there in the pews are probably going somewhere very different especially if you're in a place in your life that's different from mine. I know that is you listen to my stories consider my arguments and logic impeccable. Move with my poetry and imagery and even enter into the silence between my words. You will be going places in your mind and heart that i cannot even imagine. Nor. Control. So awesome the truth is the best and most. Transformative and helpful part of a sermon has little to do with what i write. Or intent. Or expect the results of the foreman to be. The best part of the sermon is awesome. What spiritually and intellectually happens within you within the private reaches. Of your own private soul. When something that i say triggers a memory. Or a thought from your own life or some pain that you're going through. Or something you figured out or resolved. When one of my images transports you to something you cherish or love. Or even when some argument i am making strikes you as incredibly stupid. Although some of the slick televangelists. Play imagine otherwise. Preachers cannot and do not control where the listeners go. Or what effects are words will have indeed. Sometimes as a preacher you get amazing feedback that just seems impossible. The reverend roy phillips who for years served our large church in st paul minnesota used to famously tell about the sunday when one of his parishioners said. I love your sermon will you send me a copy tomorrow morning he did on monday morning. The wrong sermon. Which of course. She heard. A completely different sermon. In the one. And so it is often with you my friends. Every once in awhile one of you will say to me. I would love a copy of that sermon i have never addressed that same at all not even close i have no idea what they mean. The mystery here. Is it neither of us. Preacher or listener. Neither is crazy. Or stupid or inattentive. It's just. But the sermon preached is often quite different from the sermon heard. That is a blessing of a sermon experience. No one not even. Is in charge of what magically happens between the pulpit and the pew. But nevermind the curious gaps between. Preachers and listeners. What about it what about when you simply do not approve of what you have heard from me. From this woodbox up here. I know this may at first seem counterintuitive. I do my best sunday work as a preacher. When you disagree with what i have said or what you think i have said. Every once in awhile and not too frequently here thank god but every once in awhile. Someone in the congregation i've preached or serve will approach me in the reception line following a service. Already red face with their veins on their neck glands. Now while all preachers prefer happy and grateful listeners. The truth is it is not a failure or a tragedy when people find themselves in radical disagreement. With what i express from this pulpit on a sunday. Indeed sometimes believe or not. It even means. Is a preacher. Perfectly right. When what i say in a sermon spiritual or ethical or theological or political or personal. Triggers some strong disagreement within you. That i have in fact done my job. Of triggering and encouraging you to think. And feel and reflect more deeply on your life and your place in that. And thereby is a preacher. I've helped you irritated though you are at me. To move yourself along with some greater clarity of personal thoughtfully for action. So when you're really pissed off i don't care. That's an ad-lib it's not here. All of this is by way of my saying to you that when i step in this pulpit is not my job it is not my job. To simply confirm or faithfully regurgitate to you. All of your cherished long-held opinions believe experience or conviction that's not my job. My job is to speak as honestly clearly and compassionately as i can. From my own heart and mind as a you you. To what i believe is of universal and ultimate importance. Now don't get me wrong. It's nice and profoundly reassuring to me as your minister this happens all the time. When the reception line go past me and say. Thank you you've articulated exactly what i believe it's so helpful to have you articulate that for me today. But it is also important and useful for me when you tell me. Thank you personally find yourself in a very different place. In our free tradition is your minister. I am not of course speaking as god. Nor as god's anointed messenger. And what's more i do not speak for unitarian-universalism and i do not speak for you uscb. I speak for myself. As one thoughtful individual doing the best i can yes is a professional minister. To articulate and affirm what i believe is real and true and loving and right. That's my only job. Let me tell you about something unpleasant that happened to me as a result of a sermon i preached back in the last complication i served in maryland. River road. It was a big church. One sunday in that affluent and very liberal suburban maryland congregation filled with inside-the-beltway types most of whom we thought they were the smartest people in the room but that's a subject for another day. Well they did if you ran part of the world bank. Morality of the death penalty. And struggled out loud with my ethical ambivalence about whether or not the death penalty is ever justified. In terms of defending the inherent worth and dignity. Of every person. Our first principle. That i had not reached the exact same public policy conclusion they held. That being the death penalty was always ron could not be considered in the context. They were so mad at me they threatened to resign from the church. Talk about fundamentalist. Please please. When you listen to me speak from this pulpit do not imagine me to be the mouthpiece of god or the mouthpiece of unitarian universalism. Not even the voice of unitarian-universalism here in vero beach i am not. Here in this congregation in the interchange between pulpit and pew. We are together all responsible for the voice and the face. Case of our faith. All of this is by way of my saying to you. Please no one trusts that in the time in this time-honored role of preacher. I am prepared even eager. To hear back from you. What you believe or feel or no. Even if it differs radically from what i have just said. And that leads me to say something now which i as a preacher can never say enough. Whether you are bothered by something i've said from the pulpit. Or thrilled by every word that comes out of my mouth. I always want to hear from you. I counted a good sunday and i've had several recently. Where my email box is full on monday morning 56 emails from you. Responding. To the sermon i know the sermon was effective. When i get email the next morning. Whether you approve or are outraged by what you've heard i want to hear how my words and thoughts. Have affected you again better for worse. And i try to not be too defensive. When you're really. While it's a u u preacher. I know perfectly well. Maryland taught me this very well that you cannot keep all the people happy all of the time. For like all. Of our congregations you are diverse and free-thinking bunch i will never be able to keep you all happy. But your reactions to an about my sermons both emotional and intellectual. Are invaluable to me as i strive to become the best minister i can for this community. No sometimes i will admit it is hard for preachers not to react defensively when someone from the pew. Complains or protests or disagree but i trust me i really want you to keep those. Cards and letters coming even if they're on reruns. I depend on your direct feedback to make me a better and more sensitive and responsive. Preacher. For this is truly. A relational pulpit. Has my book. Suggested. And those we arrived full-circle back. For the title of this book relational. Although i am usually the only one in physical possession of this box. It is truly a biologic. And relational place. We're together through the carefully-crafted words i speak. And the generous and discerning listening you do. You-and-i 48 in the important work of living our religion. And growing our hearts and our souls and our minds to better places than they are now. A good sermon is nothing more. Stylized. And serious 2-way religious conversation. Designed to help all of us move our lives. For deeper truer better places of humanist. Together. Preacher and pugh. Share in an ongoing journey of discovery purpose growth and reflection. Returning to our lives after the sermon has ended and my words have trailed off. Into the infiniti of silence. With more clarity we proceed. Hopefully. And hope. For this complicated and challenging business of living. Please know that i will always sincerely strive to hold up my end of the conversation. With as much thoughtfulness and wisdom as i can and i count on you. Through your generous and critical listening. To do the same. And now it is simply time for me to say. And mean. Might leave you with the words of my colleague lauralyn bellamy. If here you were found freedom. Take it with you into the world. If you are found comfort. Going to share it with others. If you have dreamed dreams. Help one another that they may come true. If you have no one love. Give some back. To a bruised. And hurting world. Going to space.

uufvb_org

2015Jan11Sermon32.mp3

Good morning on this second sunday of january. Ic9 of our january snowbirds back for the first time this morning. This wonderful weather how many people move to florida every day 365 days a year. 800. Correct. Welcome to paradise. When welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we are so pleased you've chosen to begin this beautiful day with us. We are congregation lithographic said of open minds loving hearts and helping hands people. Seeking to become our best individual cells even as together as a congregation we work to make our world. It's more humane place and please know you are welcome precisely as you come to us this morning. Whether you're young or old gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What do you have a ged or a phd whether you're a visitor with us the first time this morning. Or have been coming for. Whether you're feeling emotionally on top of the world this morning. Down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We welcome you as you come in your particularity and your need. And we hope you'll find our service this morning. Meaningful and enriching at you will find something here this morning to take with you into your lives in the days and weeks ahead. That will make your life better and more meaningful and more responsible. Welcome. This is loves hard. A refuge for mines searchtruth unfolding. Beautiful. Everstream. Here compassion is our shelter. Freedom our protection from the storms of bigotry and hate. In this place. May we find comfort. Encourage. Here. To see the unseen. Good. That is yet to be. Good morning i want to address the question of whether or not is relative or absolute i have had a little too much time on my hands. But that's incredibly big philosophical and religious and i hope you've had your brain wheaties this morning. This morning. Because i believe that how we answered this complicated question. Has a direct an important impact on how we live our religious and ethical lies out. And whether or not we will succeed during our lifetimes and serving our deepest. And most cherished values. What is got me focused on this question the truth is relative or absolute. Something in between. Where i'm actually headed this morning. But what got me thinking about a conservative television and radio commentators. Who have repeatedly of late. Try to blame. Of americans the evils and ills of american society things like crime drug abuse. Out-of-wedlock pregnancies to them gay marriage which is now legal here in florida. And further things like abortion and assisted suicide in the high divorce rates among. Heterosexuals. Nevermind that's not in the text i should have said this. Heterosexual marriage has right now role model for everybody. These commentators are blaming all the evils of american society and what they call moral relativism. These commentators bill o'reilly. Sean hannity rush limbaugh and william bennett. The dfr society were simply guided by unbending and clear moral absolutes. Drawer moral wheels. Unfortunately right from wrong. As opposed to relativistic or situational perspective. The truth and morality are often and fluid and complex. They argued turtle absolute american once again be upright godly and immoral nation. What is conservative commentators are saying in their aggressive attack on the idea of relative. Is bruce morallion goodness always and only flow from eternal law and unbending principle. Never relative or situational or evolving understanding. The particulars of any given human situation into account. American liberalism is morally believing with. German nihilist frederick nature that god is dead and therefore. Everything is permitted that's what they're saying. Can a liberal say everything is relative so that means everything is permitted. It is this foundational philosophic and religious idea that absolutist thinking is always good at relativistic or situational thinking is always bad. Remind me to push back against this morning. For my understanding.. Thinking unitarian universalist. Is whether you were talking about science. Or ethics or social policy or politics. A healthy dose of relativism. Along with a clear set of firm principles. And that is the key. Relativism along with principals. Is needed if we are to ever fully come to serve what is most real and true and good. In most situations. In a nutshell what i hope to persuade you this morning of this morning is. But relativistic thinking. And the situational decision-making that result from relativistic thinking. Are crucial in this profoundly fluid and complicated world of art. And generally this relative mystic thinking. An absolutist thinking does in the real world. Let's begin. In this critical analysis of absolutism versus relativism. Just look at the realm of natural science. Well i make no claims true philosopher of science i believe after consulting with. Many scientists in the steel. I believe it is accurate to say. The centuries ago sir isaac newton the other early scientist first articulated. The basic laws of physics and the unending laws of other natural sciences. The scientific community and mechanisms like. And may i ask the nature of things like light and sound. That were quote-unquote absolutes. We're already fully known and always and eternally true. But in the centuries since as science has evolved and matured including incorporating einstein. To paradigm shattering theories of relativity. Intuos operating understandings as well as what i shall loosely call the new physics scientists who study the natural world have realized. But the once apparently clear and immutable scientific truths and laws that were identified centuries ago are in fact. Imprecise. Mysterious. Contradictory not fully understood subject. Vulnerable to cultural bias. And dependent upon each context in which they operate in other words. They are situational. Let's take for example. What businesses today call. Call the wave particle duality i know you already about that this morning. I realize it's kind of heavy stuff as wikipedia the online encyclopedia which is very helpful with many topics. The wave particle duality. Every elemental particles. Exhibits the properties of not only particles but also of waves. The duality of this duality addresses the inability of the classical concept of particle or wave to fully describe the behavior of quantum scale object. It seems as though we must use sometimes. And sometimes the other. Wallet time we may use either. We are faced with einstein. We have two pictures of reality. Separately. But together. What the physicists are saying. Is it how we describe or understand every elemental particle. Is it away. Or is it a particle. Is relative. I'm not absolute. The truth. Of what you were looking at in the microscope. Depends on the changing natural circumstances. The physical reality of life at its most basic level. Is situational and tan and does change and canada's an inch. With me again. Says about the new physics which is also called the physics beyond the standard model. The new physics they right. Refers to the. Such as the origins of math the straw problem whatever that is neutrino oscillations whatever that is. Matter-antimatter asymmetry whatever that is and the nature of dark matter and dark energy whatever those are. Another problem lies within the mathematical framework. The standard model is inconsistent with that of general relativity. Breakdown under certain conditions. For example. Within the known space-time singularity like the big guy in the black hole. Or event horizons now i really don't have any idea with most of this means but the bottom line is that they're the new physicist. This stuff is all situational and is not eternal and absolute. If you're like me most of this new physics stuff is way over your head. But the bottom line here is it is 21st century physicists learn about the complexities and subtleties. Of the forces and basic elements of our natural world. The less they talk in absolutist terms and the more the use relativistic. The last few congregation serve river road. Was located just blocks from the national institutes of health. And i had a flu and very. Bright. Theoretical scientist with to actually talk to me about this stuff. One of them ran the famous genome project. Which took on the challenge of mapping 20 years ago of mapping the entire human genetic code. She wants absolutism and relativism in science experiments. Or complete and standard standing of it is virtually impossible she said to make absolutist. Science and scientific understanding she said which is always. Evolve. And must always be done in the context of current understanding. All of that will chain. So. Most working scientists today hesitate to make once and for all. Absolutist statements about the quote-unquote eternal laws. Of the natural universe in fact. They see the world as increasing and increasingly complex and relativistic term. Where are understanding of what we're looking at. Depends upon the context. If we now in these modern times understand. A great deal of unfolding scientific. As being relativistic and contextual. How much easier it is to understand. The truth. The human and ethical realms can also an are also relativistic and situational. I guess i will speak just for myself here for the moment. In the human and ethical rounds in which i live and move and have my being. Almost everything. Important. Resist and simple answers. An absolute understanding. Life to me seems to be one big bag of complex reality. Interdependence and contradictory forces that mock are understandable and natural human attempt. Control everything once and for all with absolute certainty. Including. How we should always live and ethically act. With one another. I know many people try. And some imagine to persuade themselves. The day alone do. Have all the answers i'm sure you've met some of these people in your life. Control. But in my world almost everything moral and ethical and human. Define absolutist answers and categorical clarity to me. Lifecore is fiercely situational. And therefore frequently demands situational truth to guide us as we search for what is best. Let me one very concrete and i think compelling example. Almost every society and religion i know of a firm's as a central moral principle. The sacredness and the value of every human life. One of the most universal laws. Human societies around the world. Is it nothing purposeful should ever be done. The prematurely or unnecessarily and the life of another. Cheerleaders. That have recently allowed what is called assisted suicide for individuals. Facing painful disease. Most states including this one. Have an absolute. Against assisted suicide and euthanasia. And sewing most places in america. If the spouse of a person who is dying a horrible painful death. Assist that person in ending their own life. By helping for example him and her. To swallow a fatal dose of pills. That he or she is accumulate. If you was a spouse assist that person in ending their own life. Give him the absolutist wording of the law in this state. You can be tried for murder. And imprisoned for the rest of your life. As a as a murderous criminal. But it seems to me as a unitarian universalist situation. Then they are absolutist. Set the absolutist position here is always wrong and always immoral every way to help someone suffer. The pistols not in many situations. Serve the universal principle of the sacredness. And worth. Of every person. I do not. In the case of terribly sick and suffering person. The cause of the sacredness of human life is served by absolutely refusing. To allow that person to choose their own painless exit. I believe there are many situations. When the best way to honor the sacredness. Of a human person. Is to allow that person's life by hastening. Thereby preventing unnecessary suffering. But the moral absolutist in our culture. And there are many of them out there as you know. Believe that if we allow even a little bit of situational ethical decision making. Based on particular medical facts that will relax. As a moral situation list. As i've already said i believe the sacredness of human life is sometimes serve. Best and most lovingly. By intentionally and mercifully ending. That. The life of those who suffer terribly. And here's where the work of ethicist dr joseph fletcher is helpful to me. Are there heat there he is. Is clear and concise 1966 classic situational ethics. The new morality. He makes the case as i am this morning. Any and all legalistic. Or absolutist approaches to ethical and moral decision-making. With their quote-unquote prefabricated rules and unbending regulations. Of necessity he argues in the face of the complexities of the real world. A real decision. Here is dr. fletcher's simple formulation. Four situational ethics. He says that by. Utilizing. Principle of love. Combined with our human reason. And our human freedom. We're able to make the best and most moral and ethical decisions in each human situation. Harris health dr. fletcher makes his case. Relativistic and situational. Decision-making i called him at some length. I'd like the legalists an absolutist who enter into every decision-making situation. Encumbered by the whole apparatus of prefabricated rules and regulations. The situational sta-rite. Decision-making situation. Fully armed with the ethical maxims of the community. And it's heritage. And treat them with respect as illuminators of the ethical problem. Just the same situation has prepared in any situation. To compromise some of those ethical maxims of the community or set them aside in a situation. Love. Seems better served. Situational ethics. Even the most revered principle. Maybe thrown aside. If they conflicted with any concrete case. Of love. Many people fletcher suggested. Many people too many people. Longhorn ethical system of prefabricated pre tailored morality. They cannot trust himself. To use their human freedom to decide what is right. Lean and strong unyielding rules. The situationist however. Cunningham yourself loose from the dead hand. What is false promise of relief from the anguish of decision-making. Can only determine the person of good will he or she will live freely. With the ambiguities that go along with that freedom. And then he ends. The moral life takes on the shape of adventure. And ceases to pretend to be. A blueprint. What fletcher is saying. And this is something i believe also. Is it all wise ethical and moral decision-making in the real world is of necessity. Situational and relativistic. Because life on this earth. By its very nature is situational. And relativistic. We are always commanded to act lovingly. But how to do it depends. On our own responsible estimation of the situation. Love is the only constant everything else is variable. No. Get mine occurred some of you who've been thinking head on this. The doctor fletcher himself is trapped in a bit of absolutist orwall bound thinking when he declares again and again. Is the first principle and proposition of all ethical and moral decision-making. Love whatever that means. And by logical extension compassion. To become the universal law of the human heart. Makes his proclamation. On the primacy of love. Relativistic. And not absolutist is his insistence. That because life is forever situational. We must in every moment and then every contact use our reason and our freedom in addition to the principle of love. To decide how the principle of love is best served. He says. When we say that love is always good. What we mean is that whatever is loving in any particular situation is. Fletcher's point where is it when it comes to doing what is loving and right in human affairs. Ridgid legalism an absolutist laws. Will invariably steal us because life is so vexing lee situational. So no matter how much. I'm simple legalistic once and for all absolutes it's the truth. In real life there is i think. No avoiding. Using a reason and our freedom. In the ways that are morally best. So let's return for a moment to my example of a mini laws against assisted suicide. Or what we might call. Compassionate euthanasia. Which still exists these laws as i said all across america including here in florida. The absolutist. For truth is always cut and cleared. Will categorically tell you that every terminal medical situation. Regardless of suffering or sorrow or even the wishes of the patient. Society must continue to prohibit by law. Any purposeful hastening of death. The moral absolutist. Life no matter how compromise. No matter how cruel. Is always sick. To them sacredness is always sacredness. The law is the law. And to intervene even to end suffering even to honor the wishes of the patient. Is always wrong. And always immoral. Always. But the situation was. Will tell you. At the end of the cabinet if you use your reason and your freedom. A humane and moral choice sometimes. Caring and thoughtful. In the face of life impossible complexity. We have to use a reason in our conscience and our freedom. To best serve. Preciousness. Of life. No. Let there be no illusions about. Being a relativist when it comes to world. Is often very hard and challenging. Even as we struggle to do the right thing for love in fletcher's terms. We will sometimes never know for positive or for sure. If we altima lee did do the best thing if we chose the right thing. Dr. fletcher would say the acceptable risk of being fully human. Enso nuanced and chaotic. Creation. I finally arrived at what i really want to say to you this morning. Only do i believe the truth. Whether we are talking about science or religion is frequently relative. Fluid and unclear. Fletcher. Then if we are to be fully human and fully humane. We must regularly use not be afraid of our reason. And our freedom. In every unique situation. Conservative legalistic thinkers suggest. And disingenuously. I believe. Better take a relativistic approach. Two truths and moral decision-making. And each situation or contacts. Is somehow equated with having no moral standards or principles at all that's what bill o'reilly believe. You know. Unless you have god's final moral law you can't possibly be good. Nothing is further from the truth. What the conservative columnists do not seem to understand or do not understand. Is it both the absolutist. And the relativist arrive at a firm moral decision-making. But they both do so in a purposeful and principal. The difference is how they get. So that moral decision. Absolutist asked only what does the law say. Where is the relative nuances in particular says. What is the best and most loving outcome possible. So here is the all-important bottom. Line. I am right. The truth. In this complex world of ours is almost always relative and subject to situational newer. The new allies unitarian universalist have a lot of work to do. As we strive in our daily lives. To live lovingly and morally and incorrectly. The fact that truth and morality are frequently relative. And elusive realities means that we are obliged and paul you alluded to it this is work to work on these principles. That the struggle with life shifting complexities in concert. Contradiction. To do the hard work of trying to discern. What is good and right and true. In every situation. Two-way and in our hearts and our minds. The values in the principles which demand are illegal. Yet often come into conflict with one another and then finally. To act. To act. Not with certainty. What was clarity of purpose and principle and heart. If they are given to us. In doing the hard work considering life relativity. Is the scary. Yeah. It is imprecise. It is momentous. It is fraught with danger. And uncertainty. And it is fraud. What's the possibility of error. You bet. It's very hard. What is dr. fletcher points out. In a world like ours in the end we have no other choice. Legalistic absolute never work. In the real world. Principal relativism principle. Relativism. Alone can best service. As we stumble toward that which is ultimately. The best. For all of us. Principal relativism. Is the best. This is all the reassurance that i can offer you. We are human being supplied by a messy and uncertain world. To use our freedom. And our reason. And our highest principles situationally. Relativistic. And again and again and again everyday. I do not believe the world gives us any other choice. We simply must use. A reason. And our freedom. We simply must in this messy world of ours. Feels fully and bravely human as we can. In situation. After situation. After situation. A twentieth-century uu minister john w bring them my new. Add this to his congregation once. Go your ways. Knowing not. The answers to all things. Get seeking always the answer to one more thing. Then you know. Researchers with your companions. Discovery highway. Sharing the hope. And whatever discoveries may come. With others. Go to your week. Bf open mind. Work hard. A good person.

uufvb_org

2014Aug03Sermon32.mp3

Welcome to the unitarian universalist. Fellowship of vero beach. My name is paul amarillo i'm a member of this congregation. And today i am apprentice popa coast. I want to welcome all of you come here and all your particular tease. Whether you are down in the dumps. On top of the world or somewhere in between. Whether you are black or white or some other wonders shade of humanity. Welcome. Welcome. To our fellowship. As well but not quite as painfully as singles so i'm just going to speak the words of probably the most celebrated chant or mantra in tibetan buddhism money on me home and all them is as we talked about last week still the essential sound of the universe really the mystery contained in the whole universe whole body if you will money is jewel and the jewel is referring to our inner self the part of us the awakener of soul consciousness pognae is the lotus flower mystery of the all. The vibrations of energy. That we send out around us so omani padme home is generally translated as the jewel. In the lotus. Money. Cockney home. Colonel and i. I practice buddhist meditation for a few years. We started by attending a saturday morning meditation practice. Where we meditated for 30 minutes and then listened to a lecture. Talk. The dharma talk lecture changed every week in dealt with various aspects of buddhism. We learned about the four noble truths. The eightfold path. The three jewels. Karma. Nirvana the sutras. Many other aspects of buddhism. We studied various buddhist teachers. Pema chodron. Mcnaughton. Of course the dalai lama. We met many people who devoted themselves to being buddhist. But for us what was most meaningful. Was running up to spiritual practices in buddhism. Ethical behavior. And buddhist meditation. Ethical behavior with nothing more them. Our actions. Our words are thoughts. How to put it another way. Our karma. Buddhist teachings stress that the intentions that drive your actions are more important. And the actions themselves. If you act with disapproval or disgust. You'll experience negative results in the future. If you act with love. You'll experience a positive outcome. The karmic law of cause and effect. But meditation. Can you hear me. Okay. Flower okay. And popular thought. Buddhism is definitely the religion of meditation. After all who hasn't seen a statue of buddha. Sitting cross-legged. Eyes half-closed immersed in spiritual. Reflection. But for us. Carol and me. Mindfulness. And loving kindness. Meditation helps relieve anxiety and stress. Sour monkey mind. Meditation helps our concentration. Are mental alertness and emotional control. It has helped us to slow down. And take each moment. As it comes. Meditation has helped us get past negative thought patterns. Conditioning and reaching more beneficial productive state of mind. One that gives us contentment. Patience. Compassion. And wisdom. To better deal with anger. It offers us a sense of stability and balance. That external circumstances troy. We don't meditate every day. For no more than 30 minutes. We got comfortable tell ourselves to be still. Still. Please. We concentrate on a spot a few feet in front of us and slower breaths and count it. Morning. 2 hours and so on. And in the beginning our minds would wander. That's what we called monkey mind. We would have. Bring our thoughts back to the present. Continue to count our breath. And the more time we meditated. The less time we had monkey mind. We look forward to our meditations. We enjoy them. And hope you will also engage. In the buddhist meditation practice. Thank you. One of my. More remarkable and deeply treasured experiences. What's the gift of being in the presence of his holiness the dalai lama. Some years ago i sent several feet away from him. When we spoke to a few hundred for a couple of hours. All of us had been instructed to arrive early. Giving time to prepare and center ourselves for this encounter. I was open. And had few expectations only that it would likely be. Pleasant. I'm positive. The current dalai lama living in exile from his mountain. For almost 55 years. Is regarded as the 14th incarnation of avila. Compassionate buddha. Well he walked into the room. Crinkle cut his whole face into a smile. And i immediately started to cry. I cried for the next 10 minutes cuz i watched him take us in. And get his bearings. I can't tell you why i cried. Only that i did. And i cried when he bowed. And smiled at the end. With his shaved head. And wrinkled up face. He looked. Like a beautiful baby. Just coming into contact. With the world. When he left which he did liberally. His entire face participated. And tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. He offered us his complete. And total. Happy absorption. In the very moment. After a gentle and yet direct critique country. As a nice place to make money but not a nice place to die. And our time. As one of war. And violence. Returned. His great and comprehensive mind into issues of ethics. He argued that all secular. Or religious. Must be grounded in basic. Human values. An open mind. A warm heart imbued with caring. And a commitment to doing no harm. He stressed that hatred. Jealousy and other negative emotions and state. Create harm for others. And for oneself. He argued that is in one's own interest consider the implications of one's actions as well as others needs and interests. The human compassion is and will be. The basis of our survival. He took questions. Engaged in dialogue with us. Sometimes spoken english. And sometimes. In tibetan. And then when he was finished. He smiled simply and said. That's it. Clear as crystal to the end. And i felt blessed. This morning i am using with you about the personal gifts i have received. From buddhism. And i can think of no better place to begin with the buddhist understanding the importance of compassion. Or the poly word. Corona. What is a concept that lives at the heart of buddhist understanding. It is a misconception. Really to associate the words. Enlightenment or nirvana. As somehow the end goal. A buddhism. If you think of this as simply sitting illuminated in a lotus position somewhere apart from the world that just isn't. The heart of it that doesn't go far enough. So i'd like to share with you a passage. From one of my favorite buddhist riders cherry larkin. This is from her book the chocolate cake sutra. And she writes that the time had a. Buddhist center. She's no longer they are but. You'll need to know that to follow the passage. She says experience has taught me that enlightenment has become an empty word. It means whatever the caller or email her or person at the door wants it to mean. To even engage in the conversation about it is harmful to both of us. Someone is emailing me. With this question. I'm always surprised that they don't ask me about my training instead or how long i've been at this. One time there was an email that came in at 4:40 a.m.. The rider had been reading about buddhism for a couple of years and wanted to start practicing. He was looking for a sign the community where he could feel at home. First though question. How many people at our enlightened. I responded. Well there's the abbey cat. He didn't write back. I hadn't given him the headcount he wanted. If i told him that everyone it's enlightening. He'd never have believed me. But they are. Some people just don't know it and are stumbling the way i did the way i do. Some have a sense of awakeness but still don't trust it. Some just plain glow-in-the-dark. Their spiritual energy is palpable. The email. He was asking the wrong question. If he asked me. How we all live with the dreck that comes at us every day. Then we could talk. The word enlightened is too far away from how i live my life. I don't even know how to think about it anymore. Instead of learning the hard way that for those of us determined to measure our progress on the spiritual path. A more helpful test. Is to ask ourselves a simple question. Is everything. And everyone. Precious. And then if we must have extra point high school we can ask ourselves. Is everyone. And everything. Holy. If the answer is anything but of course. We have work to do. The sands my. And started reading. One of the very first steps. On the path to. Enlightenment. Is to do good to others. Karuna involves the right attitude toward those who are suffering. And that includes oneself. Entertaining enlightenment results. Ingrate. Compassion. In the deepest level of concern for all living creatures. Karina has been described as. The quivering of the heart. In response. To another's suffering. In buddhism one of the. So called heavenly abodes is called jump. Apple rose island. Which is a heart. Of suffering in the world. If we are in that place. Which we can only get to by sitting still in silence. We feel. The most connected to all kinds of suffering. And we have no fear. Of suffering. We know. We understand the reality of pain and suffering. Rather than resisting it. Our energy can go into transforming it. This is the place. We're all of the great buddhas and ancestors live. Them are there. Just waiting for us. Wanting us to join them in the center for a while. Help them hold. The balance in the place of suffering. When i think about the great buddhist the great souls. Sitting there sending out love and compassion in the face of suffering. Well just remembering that strengthens my resolve to at least spend a few minutes a day. Joining them. In prayer. And meditation. There are of course many different meditative disciplines offered by the world's great religions. My life of practice was formed within buddhism. I've been a student of buddhism for more than 30 years and. Identified myself as a buddhist unitarian universalist. I took les ordinand vows with vietnamese buddhist. Tick not han in 1989. Taking refuge in what we call the three jewels the buddha dharma and sangha. And committing myself to the five basic precepts or training rules. To refrain from taking life. From stealing. From sexual misconduct. From false speech. And from intoxicating drugs. And then in 1999 10 years later i participated. In the formal process called jakai. Receiving more precepts. And deepening my commitments. Yokai is considered lay ordination. And involves a lengthy process of study. Reflection and action. And once one has received to chi. The rock's who is warren whenever sitting informal meditation. Or in a teaching situation. What you might ask is a rock sue. Well. During the time when buddhism was traveling to china it was. Illegal was not. It was frowned upon and so the monks instead of wearing their usual robes. The monks develop this thing called a rock zoo. Which they would hide underneath their clothing and it was considered a miniature row. Sew-in in my tradition. We make our roxas. And there are many different. Traditions that do it differently but in in mine. All of the pieces that go into the rocks who are begged 4th considered scraps of material it's not you don't go out to. Joanne and and buy your material. You either find them or you ask somebody for them. And every stitch in this it says set design every stitch in this was done by me. By hand. And we pray as we're as we are doing the stitches. And i would love to tell you about each piece but given that we are unitarian-universalist i particularly want to tell you about a few. Some of you will know that carolyn mcdade. Who we sing spirit of life practically every week. Carolyn spend a year traveling around the country in her little van. With a ministry. In music. And so there's a piece in here that is came from the curtain that was in the back of. Carolyn's little. Little van. Arlington street church. One of our kind of mother church's originally the federal street church of william ellery channing in boston. I did my first student ministry there in 1970. The current minister is a pal of mine. And when the it happened when i was working on my rocks to. That arlington street was recovering. The material on the pews. So there's a band here that comes from. The pew material that was originally in arlington street. And the church. There are. Pictures of sweat rag from friends. There. I had a group live. So this was material from from group members it goes on and on. I do have to tell you one pieces. But i love it. My father was my one of my great spiritual teachers. And this is a pair of. From his pajamas. That have happened if santa claus on them. And i love having that there and then the whole thing i have encased in material that came from. My preceptor my my teacher. I don't have a fax. So that's a rocks to a brief introduction to to arasu. Ties first book published in this country the miracle of mindfulness. I was published actually buy our own beacon press. And the idea of mindfulness being as fully present and mindful in the moment as possible. Has been my companion ever since. One of my favorite images from that book. From. Take my timer weekly column tie. Is a simple glass of apple juice. Ty tells the story of children at play and coming in thirsty. I took the last bottle of homemade apple juice and. Gave each a full glass. Serving little time last. Spencer juice was from the bottom of the bottle while it had some pulp in it. When she noticed the particles she pouted and refused to drink it. The children went back to their games and tan had not drunk anything. Half an hour later. I heard her calling. John wanted to get herself a glass of cold water but even on tiptoes couldn't reach the faucet. Project i reminded her of the glass of juice on the table and asked her. Straight at first. Turning to look at it she saw that the pope had settled. And the juice looked clear and delicious. She went to the table and. Took the glass with both hands. After drinking half of it. She put it down and asked. Is this a different glass. No, it's the same one as before. It's sat quietly for a bit. And now it's clear. And delicious. Tom looked at the glass again. It really was good she said. Was it just meditating like you. Anti replied let's just say that i imitate the apple juice when i sit. Disclosure. To the truth. I love this story because it reflects the heart of what. Practice is all about. Imitating the apple juice. Needing to let things settle in order that we find some clarity. Clarity that can refreshes. And give us strength. And serenity. It's actually easier for a glass of juice to do this than for us. Tiny bits of pulp. Have only to follow the laws of gravity. Gravity brings them easily. To the bottom of the glass but our thoughts seem to obey no such law. Gravity has little effect on the pulp of our minds. We always have thoughts emotions sensations lots of pulp always busy. Some of this pulp. Anything but peaceful stuff. Fiore. Shame. Desire. Disgust. English. Doubt. When were trying to imitate the apple juice we often think we have to suppress the pole. Our thoughts emotions sensations. In order to have a peaceful mind. And then the mind becomes a battlefield. The more we try to suppress the more the mind reveals. It's something like an ocean trying to suppress a wave. A wave is part of the ocean. Just as our thoughts and. Feelings and perceptions are part of our mind. What works better. Is treating the mind with gentleness. And respect. All we can really do is gently observe. We observe. Mindful. And try to keep the son of awareness continually shining. We do this because in ties words. Each thought. Each action in the sunlight of awareness. Becomes sacred. In this light. No boundary exist. Between the sacred. And the profane. Compassionate mindfulness meditation now i'd like to speak to the third of the most significant. From buddhism. And that is the practice of metta or loving-kindness. The buddha's fundamental teaching about meta. Parallel the greatest teachings of jesus. As jesus enjoined us never to return evil for evil. And love our enemies. Over and over the buddha taught. That the fundamental is that hatred does not cease by hatred. It can only be overcome. Metta is a 2500 year old practice intended to help us develop an open and loving heart. Characterized by gentle charity. And friendliness toward the world. It is powerful practice. I don't have time to take us through a whole metal practice but i. Do want to give you a little sense of it. Usually one works with the various parts of the practice for months at a time. Do it matter we always begin with ourselves. So i'd like to ask you to close your eyes. For a moment. As we move through really just. The briefest. Briefest of meditations. She would just take a breath and close your eyes. So traditionally we begin with forgiveness. Something like. I asked forgiveness for all. Of all beings whom i have hurt or harmed in any way. I freely forgive all beings who have hurt or harmed me and anyway. And i freely. Forgive myself. Anna might take some time to recall things about ourselves that we can celebrate. Stirring up feelings of. Gentle caring. It is understood that. We need to feel loving kindness toward ourself in order. To feel it toward any other being. And then begin the blessings soon as i read them. Please just take them in. Allow yourself. To bless yourself. May i be free. From danger. May i be free from fear. May i have freedom from internal torment. And external danger. May i be strong and healthy. Embody. May i be in harmony. With my body. May i make a friend of my body. May i be healed. May i receive pain with patients. And friendliness. May i embody my love. And understanding. May i be happy. And peaceful in mind. May i live. With ease. May loving-kindness manifest throughout my life. May my heart. Remain open. May i know the beauty. Of my own true nature. Enjoy another. Mindful breath. You can leave your eyes closed you can open them whatever you want to do at this point. Now if we were doing we would spend much more time. But i want you to know the whole movement of the meditation. So after we begin with ourselves removed what is traditionally called a benefactor. Here we bring to mind someone who's helped us in some important way of teacher eliza guide. Someone we have completely positive feelings about. And we offer the same blessings to that person. May you be well happy peaceful. Know the beauty of your own true nature. And then in the next a friend. We bring to mind a special friend or friends or loved ones. Seeing them in a circle of light and focusing on them with all our love and respect. We offer the blessings may you be well. Happy. Peaceful. Know the truth of your own. Beautiful nature. I'm in the forest. We call to mind a neutral person. Someone toward whom we have little feeling of any kind. Maybe someone. You see at the bank. Somebody who works at the wherever you shop. You run into them but you don't have a relationship. And we offered them the blessings maybe well happy. Lucasville. And then finally we turn our attention to to a problem person. Traditionally referred to as an enemy someone. With whom we feeling conflict and have trouble dealing. The blessings. Happy and peaceful. Wooden train with a genuine heart this is both difficult and transforming. And when we feel we've understood this level of the meditation we may choose to extend this. Last step. To offer our blessing to someone who has grievously. Rhonda. Loving kindness meditation has been an important and deeply helpful part of my spiritual journey. I will say that more than a few church members have found their way into my meadow musings over the years. And several of the steps which i will leave you to figure out. Until the three most important gifts of buddhism to my own religious training. The understanding of compassion is necessary to the healing of the world. The concept of mindfulness. And loving kindness meditation. In closing i would like to suggest an image. A metaphor for buddhism. The lotus. Which by the way i do. Admit to sporting as a tattoo. The lotus blossom suggests that there is no need to concern yourself with unanswerable questions. For the beauty of now with its many pedals of meaning. Will naturally unfold. It grows in the soil. Of the everyday life. The lotus grows in mud. Symbolic of the idea. That understanding bloom's wherever we are. Not only where we seek to be. In buddhist cosmology when the divine life substance is about to create the universe. The cosmic waters grow. A 1000 petal lotus. Which is said to represent the door or opening of the womb of the universe. The pedals themselves similar to the spokes of a wheel. Which is associated with the wheel of action or karma. The lotus is a symbol of the idea that we are all buddhas. Emanations of the transcendent imperishable sphere. Like jesus who taught that the realm of god is within. The buddha taught that each one of us must find our own way. Through our own efforts. Look within said the buddha. Thou art. The buddha. Imagine for a moment that you have been asked to bathe. The newborn buddha. Imagine the respect. The gentleness. The honor. The sacredness you would feel. And now imagine regarding your mind. As you would bathe. The newborn buddha. Take a moment to move into silence. And imagine you have found rose apple island. You are in the center. Of suffering in the world. Helping to maintain balance. Send out compassion with as much joy as you would bathe. A newborn buddha. And tonight. May you remember to send yourself to sleep. With as much tenderness and care. As you would. A newborn. Remembering. The towel art. The buddha. Go in peace now. Go making peace. Live kindly. Love mightily. View the world through the eyes of compassion and with a global heart. And always bow. To the mystery.

uufvb_org

2014Nov30Sermon32.mp3

You are welcome to come to us this morning. Whether you are young or old or straight black or white or some other one. What do you have a ged or a phd whether you're a visitor this morning or been coming for decades. Whether you were feeling this holiday weekend on top of the world or. Down in the dumps or somewhere in between we are delighted to see you this morning. Just as you come to us and we hope you will find. Our service this morning meaningful enrichment that you will find something here this morning to take with you. It will feed your spirit and nurture your soul. In the days and weeks ahead. More than 160 years ago unitarian bard ralph waldo emerson. Women make. But not around them. We want a living religion. As the face was alive in the hearts of abraham and paul. So i would have it in mine. Religion recorded in a book. Glowing. From all things. How many of you have plants at the insert in this morning sort of service about the golden rule. Olive detering and i are going to read this through and tiffany and you can follow along or just listen. To all the different ways faith groups articulate this universal truth of religion. Baha'i. Play the pain you and desire desire for yourself. Others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. Christianity. In everything do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the law of the prophets. Confucianism. One word which sums up the basis of all good conduct. Loving kindness. Do not do others what you would know your self. Hinduism. What is the sum of duty. Do others what would cause pain if done to you. Islam. Not until you wish for others. What you wish for yourself. 123 tall creatures in the world as one would like to be treated. And in happiness in suffering and joy and grief we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self. Judaism. And what is hateful to you. Do not do to your neighbor. This is the whole torah. All the rest is commentary. Humanism. Affirm that individual and social problems can only be resolved. Intelligent effort critical thinking. With compassion and the spirit of empathy. For all beings. Native american. Do not wrong or hate your neighbor. Who you watch yourself. Shinto. The heart of the person before you. Is a mirror. They're your own form. Sikhism. I am a stranger to no one. And no one is a stranger to me. Indeed. I am a friend to all. Sufism. The basis of sufism is consideration for the hearts and feelings of others. If you haven't the will to blend someone's heart. Where. Four on our path. Exist. Taoism. Regard your neighbors gain as your own game. And your neighbors loss as your own loss. Unitarian universalism. We affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Equity and compassion in human relation. Respectful. We are apart. And it harm no one. Do what. And my favorite. The yoruba indians of nigeria. The first try it on himself. To feel how it hurts. Zoroastrianism. Do not do to others what injures yourself. Here ends the morning reading. Continue my sermon series with an occasional sundays over this coming year. About the six official sources of our faith. Now it is my educated guess the first two sermons of the series. If you are still much more familiar with the seven principles of our faith. Which reprint faithfully every sunday in the order of service. And often talked about from this pulpit and elsewhere. Then you are the six sources of our faith which the denomination has identified. After enumerating the set are seven principles the bylaws of the denominations adopted in 1984 immediately. Identify officially six foundational sources. And here they are up on the screen hopefully and i want to quickly read them if i can. The six sources of our faith. The living tradition which we share. Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder affirmed in all cultures which moves as to renewal of the spirit. An openness to the forces which. Create anapole life. Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenges. To confront powers and structures of evil. With justice compassion. And the transforming power of love on each of those to another on our website. Words and anna third wisdom. From the world's religions which inspire us in our ethical and spiritual life my focus today. Future sundays jewish and christian teachings which call us to respond to god's love. Loving our neighbors as ourselves. Humanist teachings. Which council us to heed the guidance of reason. And the results of science and warned us against idolatries of the mind and spirit. Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions. Which celebrate the sacred circle of life. And instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. And it was added. Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and nobles are faith we are inspired to deepen our understanding. And expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant. Promising. To one another our mutual trust and support. You might wonder why our free-thinking denomination has bothered to formally. Enumerate 6 sources. Which in form and shape our faith tradition well it's because like. All traditions as i've said before ours need to answer the epistemological question. And the epistemological question in religion is. Simply by what authority. Does your faith tradition say something is real. Or true. Or right. Epistemology fancy academic and philosophical. The message and ground or siri of knowledge. Still the epistemological. Questioning religion. Does your faithfulness and say something is is so. And. This is a really big and essential question and religion for i think it is obvious to anyone who thinks about it. But if a religion any religion. Cannot answer this question in a reasonable sound. Or thornton of matter it is in real spiritual and intellectual trouble. For many traditional christian religions indeed foremost. Kirsten vero beach. This question is answered in a way something like this. Mainstream christian epistemology. The source of the word of god. As recorded in the bible and as interpreted by church doctrine. And tradition. Indeed in the 18th and 19th century. And the early universalist. For both early unitarianism and early universalism were. Liberal judeo-christian sex that sprung up in new england. We were christian. Liberal left-wing christian but christian. And they almost the our forebears and religion. Relied almost exclusively on biblical scripture. Albeit their liberal understandings of the nature of god in the teachings of jesus. As the source for their spiritual and ethical lives. In both as individuals and in society at large but. As i said in the previous sermons. With the arrivals of 20th century. Both unitarianism and universalism as faith traditions. Increasingly open to and influenced by religious humanism. And the other great religions of the world that they discovered around the turn of the last century. Most especially the eastern traditions of buddhism. Hinduism in taoism with the arrival the twentieth century we began to embrace a much wider and more inclusive epistemology. And again clearly moving beyond the confines of our judeo-christian roots. Time for the denomination. To update our epistemological sources statement in 1984. Statement that i just read to you earlier is what we came up with. Very back to keep going back. Keep going back will get there. There you go. This is a very broad and obviously inclusive statement now. You will see that in honor of our judeo-christian roots 4th. Soros is jewish and christian teaching. But as i'm sure it has caught your attention. The modern universal put some other sources first-year direct experience the words and deeds of prophetic women and my subject today. Wisdom from world religions above our own heritage. As a dude. Christian. Church historically. Now this third simple. Source statement which affirms our genuine open to open this to and respect for the wisdom of all the varied scriptural teachings of all the great world religion. And as i've already said. This clearly sauce epistemological. From most religious congregations in america. Including many of our traditional christian and jewish neighbors here in the treasure coast. This is because jewish and christian congregations of course. Are almost exclusively spiritually and ethically focus. On the ancient collections of writings. Which are called the holy bible specifically. The 39 books. Which makeup jewish scriptures often called the old testament as you all know. And the 27 books that make up christian scriptures. Often called the new testament. But right around the turn of the twentieth century as i've already said. The unitarians and the universal is who did not together until 1960. Separately began looking far beyond the confines. Of our judeo-christian roots. And opened themselves. What the world's many diverse religions had to offer both spiritually and ethically. Let me say this another way. More than 100 years ago. Wii u use began moving past the confines. Of the old familiar jewish and christian narratives found in the bible. And began to adopt a radically more open and eclectic spirituality. Really drawn from all of the world's many religious traditions their scriptures and their stories again it's very important you understand. It's free church tradition was suddenly rejecting. Or forsaking our long-standing tadeo kristen routes. The wisdom of judaism and christianity will always be important to us as the fourth statement. Affirms. Rather it says humanity moved into the modern age. We flung our spiritual at our ethical doors wide open. Welcoming wisdom and insight from all the world's great religions not necessarily favor in christianity or judaism over any of the rest. So the bottom line here is. As we evolved and matured into the 20. The century in the 21st century now. We were spiritually and ethically unwilling to limit ourselves. To the old comfortable confines of the judeo-christian narrative story. And we began to just explode really. Another way to think about us we are the first. Biblical american face. Not rejecting where we came from spiritually. Radically expanding. Our intellectual and our spiritual at our ethical horizon. Alright. We modern-day you use incorporate the wisdom from all the world's religions. Into the fabric of our own spiritual and ethical life. But then the question becomes. Exactly what wisdom is that that we're taking from hinduism and buddhism what what wisdom is that what truths. Are there. Boruto. As a twenty-first-century uui take it on faith. Everyone a humanities major religion. Has a meaningful measure. Of wisdom and truth. The canby pot that can be a positive and practical used to me as a unitarian universalist. As well as frankly. Some beliefs ideas understandings that i will end up rejecting or at least ignoring. As i proceed down my own spiritual and ethical path. Further i most definitely do not view any one religion. Including my own. Including unitarian-universalism. As possessing. Human wisdom and truth in its entirety. I don't believe any religion has that. Has a quarter of cosmic truth. That is why i'm comfortable in this free and open face tradition. Which encourages me really to pick and choose. Religious and spiritual and ethical perspectives. That resonate with my understanding of life that seemed true and good to me. Edit add direction. Hope and purpose in my life. One of my favorite unitarian universalist. Here in our congregation. We have a loose leaf bible. Meaning. You can pop over the binder and take out the women and put some buddhist saying about love or compassion. Understanding of scripture. Isn't it. Revelation is not sealed we are still writing the bible into our own hearts and we are free. To do it in a fluid in open way and this is anathema as you know. 2 most traditional religion has to say no. This is not an idea we resonate with. One more thing needs to be set at this juncture about the various scriptures. Of the world's great religions. And that is it mostly they are ancient. And in many cases. Confounding. Contradictory. Unclear. Incurious. Are loose loosely edited collections most of them. A reading and stories and poetry and history and thought. Written thousands of years ago there's no other way to say it. Living in a primitive and largely pre-scientific world. Trying to make sense of the universe and their lives these are ancient. I know that many of the religious orthodoxy in our community would take exception. To this view. But tomorrow unitarian universalist sensibilities. I think it's incredibly far-fetched. And spiritually unethically dangerous to think. Anyone such ancient. Compilation of writings alone. Provide an infallible. Road map for life. In this incredibly complex time i don't see how any of the sets. Of the world's religions scriptures. In the middle of themselves can provide an adequate roadmap. Ethically or morally or spiritually. Let me just take the judeo-christian bible for instance. Well as i said i think the old and new testaments are full of great spiritual insight and i'll preach about that when i do the 4th sermon. And many ethical truth. In my own spiritual and ethical life. I also think the bible contains as you all know a great deal of primitive. Time and culture-bound writings and beliefs. That we as modern people i think must reject or at least intentionally ignore. As we give shape to our religious lives. Well the bible. Written and edited by many hands thousands of years ago. Points the way i think clearly. The justice. And compassion. 2 gratitude. Reverence and joy and love. It also the bible in other places point to tribalism. Slavery. Genocide. Racism sexism and cruelty. Unbound. All of this is to say. Unitarian universalist as i seek out the wisdom. Of the world's great religions to enrich my face. I will be doing that with a fierce selectivity. And with great discernment about what i think is timeless and true and in buddhism and hinduism and in christianity judaism and i'll be letting a lot of the rest of it just go. A spiritually and ethically unuseful or even harmful. To me and to humanity that's my view. Let me get one personal example about how i has 1uu. Do an equal importance to not use scriptures via ancient and modern. I find many of the old biblical sayings and parables. That are attributed to jesus of nazareth. About love forgiveness generosity and compassion. To be some of the most important ethical and spiritual writings known to humanity. And much of my ethical bearings as a unitarian universalist come directly from the teachings of jesus. But these ancient scriptures. About his life. Are no more. Turn all the current writings of my favorite contemporary buddhist teacher. None other than the 14th dalai lama. In the dalai lama's wonderful book ethics for new millennium is now 14 years old. Wonderful book ethics for new millennium. He speaks with i think at least as much power and persuasion. About compassion and connection and love as did any parable. The jesus is said to have spoken. My point here. Is that the body of work which i as a twenty-first-century you you call scripture. Can the ancient. It can be poetical or prosaic. And it can be from any of humanity's great religious or philosophical or artistic traditions. Wii u use insist on being free. To explore human spirituality across the whole face of history. And the globe. Limit ourselves to one little narrowband of scripture. Alright. What are some of the time and there's the dalai lama. So what are some of the universal. 10 timeless truths and understanding so i think all religions. Noticed. You may not know much about something called perennial philosophy but i think it's a good place to start. Perennial philosophy was made popular through a book by british philosopher aldous huxley. Published right after world war ii. Here's what the online encyclopedia wikipedia. Says about perennial philosophy. Perennial philosophy is a perspective in the philosophy of religion. Which views each of the world's religious traditions as sharing one single universal truth. On which the foundations of our knowledge and doctor have grown according to philosophy. Each world religion including. Christianity. Islam judaism hinduism taoism confucianism and buddhism. Each of these is interpretation. I'll just universal truth. Adopted cater for the psychological intellectual and social needs of a given culture. In a given. of history. And then wikipedia goes on. The universal truth. Which lives at the heart of each religion. We discovered in egypt. Buy saints and sages and prophets and philosophers. These include not only the founders of the world's great religion. But also gifted mystics theologians and preachers. Whoever revive already existing religions. When they have fallen into empty platitudes. And halo ceremonial ism. And then wikipedia perennialist argue that although the sacred scriptures of the world are undeniably diverse. And often superficially scene. Pose one another. One can discern quote a common doctrine. Regarding the ultimate purpose of human life in all of them. Typically this doctrine is positive. As it is viewed as of used the sum of human life. As an experienced unit with the supreme being sometimes perceived as energy hang with me here. Such as the universe. Which can only be achieved by undertaking a program. A physical and mental purification or improve. So contemporary philosopher ken wilber calls perennial philosophy. The worldview that has been embraced by the vast majority. Of the world's great spiritual teachers philosophers thinkers and even scientists it is called perennial. Or universal. Because it shows up as we've already said in all cultures across the globe and across all ages wherever we find it. It has essentially the same features. And it is essentially an essential agreement the world over. How many ads riley. We moderns who can hardly agree on anything. Find this universality a bit hard to believe. Here is how doctor wilbur summarizes the seven major points of perennial philosophy are what he calls. The timeless wisdom. Of all religions i want to share these with you briefly this morning. To see if they resonate with any of your understandings about what universal in religion. Here is perennial philosophy as wilbur season. 1. Spirit exists. Second spirit is found within each of us. Three most of us don't realize the spirit within us however because. We are living in a world of separation in tuality. That is we are living in the loser estate. For there is a way out of the state of illusion. There is a path to our liberation. And if we follow this path with conclusion. The result for each of us is rebirth. Or enlightenment a direct experience of spirit within. A supreme liberation. Which marks the end of separation and suffering and which finally and here's a key key points. Issues in social action. Of mercy. And compassion. On behalf of all sentient beings. I want to go quickly through these. 1. Spirit exist. When i take this to mean as a unitarian universalist. Is it all the great world religions. A holiness. Or a sacredness. Infusing. In forming an underlying live. It is the belief. But they're in all religions that there is something larger lovelier and more lasting. Then our mortal individual cell. And that larger something open to way to us. To live lives of purpose and gratitude and satisfaction and love. During our all-too-brief lifetime on this. Beautiful but dangerous planet. As the opening ham. Suggested some call this spirit god but. Spirit. Love board justice or ultimate mystery or moral goodness. Steal this holiness and it gives them hope. And gives them purpose. As they live out their lives. Do spirit exists and then the second point. Spirit is found within. Second thing of all religions share. Is the conviction that this holiness. And sacredness that lives and breathes in our world is not somehow up on a cloud you can only see when you're flying at 40,000 feet it's not separate from each person. It's found naturally within each person. The spirit of life and love that lives in creation. Lives in us. And if we trusted and nurturing. It can help us to become. The best persons. We are capable of. In the unitarian tradition we frequently speak of this. As the inherent worth and dignity of every person. And similarly for centuries unitarian universalist have always said. There was a spark of the divine. A spark of the sacred. In each person which we see a glow. Inside each person. Even those who've had the spark muted by tragedy or abuse. So all the world's religions. According to perennial philosophy. And certainly. As unitarian universalist we agree with this. All religions trust that the highest. And the holiest in the universe. Is within you. Is not something separate. But lights the way. The problem is most of us don't realize this holiness in the sacredness because we live. It kind of a tough world. Many of us move through our days this suggests unaware of the richness. And the holiness. That lies everywhere including in our own hearts. So many of us live out our days barely aware of the fullness and the purpose of life but. For there's a way out of this state of illusion and separateness is a path. To our liberation. There is a spiritual path in every religion. To help you discover the god in the holiness both within you and then the world and that leads to number five. If you follow this path. The result will be a rebirth in your heart and lichtman a direct experience. Of that spirit or sacredness within. A supreme liberation which. When we get on the right spiritual path and do the work of the spirit. And allow these powers. To shape our lives in the best way possible. We are liberated. To a meaningful and purposeful and a good life. We realize our human potential. Use a humanist expression. The religious journey them. Is all about in all religions getting in touch with the spirit. Both within us and around us. And this chick. Leads to happiness. It marks the end of separation. And suffering. Which seven. Very important. When you are not suffering when you are aware of the sacredness within and around you. Guess what it leads to. It leads to ethical living it leads to compassion. And to care earlier in the service olive and i read you the golden rule from every great religion. This sort of proves what perennial philosophy is saying. All religions in the end. End up. At a place of compassion. And care. The how is it you might ask the quite independently from one another. In both ancient and modern times. Each of the world's religions. Came to the same universal ethical conclusion. That to be truly religious means you treat all sentient beings. With respect decency compassion and the mercy you hope for. Yourself. When i think of this third. A source of unitarian-universalism this wisdom from world religions. It is this universal commitment. To compassion and care for others. That is most importantly and inspiring to me is a unitarian universalist. If you look at the seven principles of our faith are printed on your doesn't service and that's our next slide if you look at our principles. You can see the breathing through all these have formations of our art is the golden rule. Breathing through every one of our principal is the golden rule. Dennis also found innocent. Energy. Zoroastrianism. Different religions understand god and the supernatural differently. But when it comes to human relations. In everyday life. They all agree on the golden rule. All of the world's major religions embrace the same version. The golden rule. In her very important book. The great transformation the beginnings of our religious traditions. Religious historian karen armstrong. Points out. The 9th to 2nd century bc before christ so called the axial age. Broad distinct religious traditions. Philip had an incredible impact on human life. And that being confucianism and taoism in china. Hinduism and buddhism in india. Monotheism in the middle east that being judaism. And islam and the philosophical rationalist in greece. All of these traditions. Moved in response to the violent and the violence and the inhumanity of the raid. To articulate she says. A new ethic of empathy and compassion. Ford all human beings everywhere i briefly called her. The axial age. Was pivotal to the spiritual development of humanity. The prophets mystics philosophers and poets of the axial age again. 9 centuries before jesus. What is spirituality. Of empathy and compassion it predates christianity. And they insisted. The people abandoned their egoism in greek. Violence and unkindness. And karen armstrong goes on and embrace respect. For the sacred rights of all persons. Each of these traditions. She concluded. Developed its own formulation of the golden rule. And the axial traditions all taught that if people behave with kindness and generosity to their fellows. They could save the world. Some of you are aware that over the last year or so i have been quite involved here in vero beach. In a new community-wide initiative which we have called. Compassion zero. I'm currently on the steering committee we're going to have a film showing here in just a couple of months. About the infectiousness of human kindness we have a national film coming. And the event is going to be here at the fellowship the first big public event of compassion vero. This is off of our website if you google compassion vero you can see what we're doing until we have all kinds of resources up there to help people. Run compassionate meetings and how to be a compassionate parent we've got a wonderful. Set of her sources up. Here is our mission. The mission of this local community-wide initiative here in vero beach. Spearheaded by business. Governmental. Religious educational and nonprofit leaders of vero beach. Working collaboratively. To increase compassion. Consideration. Respect. Acceptance in conclusion in every area and aspect. Our shared living at vero beach. This largely came out of people attending city hall meetings and county commissioner meetings where people rip each other apart like a piece of. And we said we are not treating each other in this community. Very well. Build a new. Compassionate. Sense. And we took our inspiration for this local effort from karen armstrong. Worldwide charter for compassion. A modern-day ethical movement. With more than 150,000 individuals and many cities and towns. Tell sign on to be compassionate cities we are the latest. Compassionate city. Around the world. A clearly building. On the golden rule. Again the charter for compassion. The principle of compassion. Karen armstrong right. Lies at the heart of all religious ethical and spiritual traditions. Calling us always to treat each other as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly. Alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures. To dethrone ourselves from the center of the world. And put another person there. And to honor the inviolable sanctity of every human life treating everybody. Without exception. With absolute justice. Equity and respect and then she has. Community urgently needs to make compassion. A clear. Luminous and dynamic force. In our polarized world. This. Is the universal and inclusive religious note upon which i want to end today. As we unitarian universalist open ourselves. To the wisdom of all the world's great religions. Which inspire us in our ethical and spiritual eyes. May we always trust. Lying at the heart and the soul of every great religious tradition. Is the call to treat all human beings everywhere. With respect. And dignity. And compassion and care. May all of us as unitarian universalist. Live our lives out on this earth guided by the light. Humanities universal understanding. Of the supreme value. Of everyman. Woman. And child. In the name of the father. End of the sun. I love the mother. End of the daughter. But the skies be clear. Motorhomes be happy. Let there be justice and goodwill. In every corner of the globe. Let there be peace. In the name of the father. Hand of the sun. And of the bother. And i'm the daughter. Herman.

uufvb_org

15Nov2009sermon128kbs.mp3

uufvb_org

2011Apr17sermon128.mp3

Good morning. Welcome on this beautiful day. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach florida. We are very pleased. All of you have chosen to join with us this morning. I know that you are welcome this morning however you come in all of your. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight. Black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. Whether you are feeling on top of the world or. Down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you. And you are welcome. As you come. We hope that you will find the service meaningful and enriching and that you'll find something here this morning. That nourishes your spirit and feeds your soul and gives you renewed energy and joy. For the work of the coming week. Our mother earth. Our planets home. Is a natural creation of almost indescribable. Beauty. Holiness. By what must be considered. And incredibly impossible configuration of cosmic luck. We have had bequeathed to us a stunning. And hospitable world that no citizen of earth should ever take for. Our natural world graciously offers us an astounding array of pleasing shapes. Tight smell. And the human being who does not open him or herself. To the natural glories that sing and dance out of this creation. Is lost too much. Of life's holy gif. This morning i continue my year-long sermon series on ten commandments. The 21st century with a sermon reminding you of perhaps. The most pressing ethical. Juncture. Injunction of our time. Thou shalt honor and. Your mother. Look. We all know the troubling truth. Despite those absolutely stunning photographs of our mother earth that we have just enjoyed. And despite the fact that much of our planet remains wild and healthy and beautiful there is trouble. Terrible trouble. In our paradise. Over recent centuries as you all know. Our planet has experienced steady human population growth. And a corresponding explosion of human activity. And intervention. And as a consequence the very face of earth has been profoundly and dangerously altered. Massive industrialization and urbanization. Factory farming and deforestation pollution of air and water global warming. And the destruction of countless natural habitats. Including much of the everglades. Not to mention the extinction and endangerment of countless animal and plant species. Has increasingly occurred. No. In these early years of the 21st century the study and inevitable expansion of human activity. And consumption on our earth surface. Has reached a point where it now unmistakably dangers endangers the balance and health. Of this planet's many interrelated ecosystems and habitats. Indeed the future sustainability of earth's entire ecosystem. Is now in genuine question. Every day in the newspapers. And from the universities. There is some new and urgent warning from earth scientists about the deteriorate the deleterious effects. Which increased human activity is having upon our planet. And it goes without saying that. We as human beings ignore these dire warnings. Now. I am keenly aware that not everyone in this room this morning is equally persuaded. Why the urgency and extend. Of the ecological crisis humanity faces. But i'm going to leave those new one conversation. About the precise condition and timetable of our earth. Or some other fact oriented scientific venue. What i want to focus on this morning. In this religious setting. Is the absolute ethical imperative i am passionately persuaded exist for each and everyone of us. As responsible members of the human family. To do our part. In immediately facing. The clear and present dangers that have emerged. And as a consequence. We must begin significantly altering the way we live. Pain. This. Weather the last glacier on this earth disappears forever in 3 years or 10 years. Or 20 years or 40 years per. Does not matter. What does matter is that we all understand now. Set the time for human in action for burying our heads in the sand like scared ostriches. Podcast. As i observed last fall on this pulpit. I am persuaded that the foremost ethical imperative and challenge facing humanity as a whole and we have lots of them. And every human being in particular is the urgent requirement. That we immediately in systematically face. The global climate and environmental crisis. That is unfolding around us. And fine whole new more restrained. And responsible ways of living on this shrinking. In crowded and endangered planet. It is clear to me and every reputable earth scientist i read. The humanity and that means all of us must quickly find ways to reduce our footprints. Carbon and otherwise. On this earth. As the dominant and burgeoning animal species on earth human population is growing very rapidly still. And with the obvious power we have in predilection we have. To radically manipulate the ecology of our planet to meet our needs. And our desires. And our purposes. One species. The responsibility and capacity. To begin changing the way we live on this earth. Lies entirely with us we are. We have great power. And this given the obvious polly and weaknesses and short-sightedness. Of our human animal nature. This is not going to be a quick or easy matter. It is clear to me and i soon to most of you. The many of the leaders and cultures of our world are not yet ready. The truly face. The impending crisis and the very real lifestyle change. Personal. Lifestyle changes it will require. There is a lot of denial. An observation. And outright lying. Occurring on the world stage. When it comes to the s-curve escalating climatological and ecological crisis we are now in. Because much of humanity i think. Is naturally scared. Two-faced what is happening. Many world leaders are finding international agreements and coordinated global action. Will be required there finding them elusive. Finding them hard to stand behind. Here in america for painful example. Many. Of our elected representatives in washington and in various state capitals are still telling themselves. And their constituents. That we need not yet make significant sacrifices. Or changes. To protect our mother earth. Protect our shirts. I suppose this should not be unexpected. For after all it is only natural for human beings to want to maintain. Or even expand their level of material wealth and comfort inn choice. Even as a planet shutters beneath our human demand it's logical that we don't want to face this don't want to start changing. Here in america in particular. Our personal lifestyle. Happy come for the most part so abundant. And so comfortable. And so routine. The to ask people to consider living more carefully and with less. With much less. Isn't extremely hard sell and congress isn't going. But the ethical and scientific truth is that we must change. And change it significant. And change it. Immediately. Where on earth is groaning and cracking beneath our heavy. An indiscriminate lee greedy human footprints. As i said in the autumn i believe now is the time for us to embrace a new. Theology of relinquishment. Theology. Of relinquishment. A new ethic of restraint. And realignment. Now i fully realize. That it is. Downright an american to suggest. That we have to live with smaller and with less. That we have to begin relinquishing. And relining. And restraining. Those are armed american messages. Those are messages that don't fit the wild west is. Still open well the wild. West is. Lawn. Gone. The salad days of earth. Are over. When we can indiscriminately take or consume as much as our animal hearts desire there over. Like it or not if the earth and us are going to survive for the long haul for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And. Obviously must live far more restrained. And responsible live. And this means choosing. Willfully and ethically and morally choosing to live. With smaller homes. And smaller cars. Nevermind smaller cars let's go to trains. Governor scott. Trains and buses public shared transportation. With much lower fuel expenditure. We need smaller and smarter diets smaller lifestyle. Smaller luxury. So that is finite and fragile planet can sustain the nearly seven. Billion of us human beings. For now on it. Now. This is not are you sure use some sort of global. Abstraction or as some as some american political and social conservatives seem to believe. The excessive agenda of tree-hugging liberals. It's neither an abstraction nor an absurdity. This is a pressing ethical imperative of our time. And each of us will be required by individual choice and collective conviction. To live more modestly and responsibly on the earth and this is going to be the most demanding challenge humanity has ever faced. Bigger than the world war ii. Bigger than any depression. Is what's coming. It's going to be very. Challenging. Let me speak personally for just a moment even though i passionately understand and take deep to my heart that dire global environmental crisis we now face. It's going to be hard for me personally. To give up the abundance. The excess and the privilege that i have known. For my entire life. Since i was born in 1949. And grown so accustomed to. The ethical duty of real physical relinquishment. Real restraint and realignment. The disgrace of crisis places before me. Why is right in the face of my natural possessiveness. As an animal of creation devoted to my own creature comforts and well-being. And i assume the same is true for every last homosapien in this room right now. We all share this primordial resistance. 2. Living with less. It's going to be hard. It's going to be hard. It's going to be hard for you. It's going to be hard for me and i wish there were some other way for the seven billion of us. To make it together on earth but by god there is not. We have no choice if we want a future worth having there's simply no choice. There is no way around this at the comparative for each of us having to live smarter. And with less and doing so now all of us together. Look i like sunday's to be an upbeat positive experience whenever possible here. But this sunday. I hope you will all leave with a significant disquietude. About what is going to be required of us. In the days ahead. This is the only news of the heart that i in good conscience can bring to you on this earth day sunday in the year. 2011. My dear vero friends. Together we must transcend whom we have become. And how we have a grown. Accustomed to live. Together we must find the courage and wisdom to live on this crust of earth. Profoundly differently than we have been. To shift. The very way of human being. We so adore. And do it. No.

uufvb_org

2012Feb19Sermon128.mp3

Thank you meal. Good morning. I hope i live long enough to be old man shuman someday. It seems doubtful though. Are we doing this morning. Comes from a book written by. Barbara brown taylor. Barbara is an episcopal priest. An accomplished author. Who about 10 years ago was named by time magazine it's a 10. Most effective preachers in the english-speaking world. She has a keen mind and a. Big heart. An insightful voice. Relaying the experience of holding vigil at her father's bedside. Taylor writes. He and i were past talking by then. Which meant that i never found out where he was with god. All i found out was how helpless love can be with nothing left to do. But suffer alongside with the beloved. Marooned by my father's bedside at day after day. Listening to him whimper in the night. Unsure. What. He believed about god i'm unsure that it mattered. Wanting to pray for him and for me. Without managing anything much beyond please. I discovered. That faith. Did not have the least thing to do with certainty. Insofar. Is i had any faith at all. That faith consisted of trusting god in the face of my vastly painful ignorance. To gather up all the life in that room and to do with it. What god alone new to do. Taylor continues. Since then i have learn to prize. Holy ignorance more highly than religious certainty. And asik companions who have arrived at the same place. We are a motley crew. Distinguished not only by our inability to explain ourselves to those who are more certain about their beliefs. Then we are. But in many cases by our distance from the centers of our faith communities as well. Like a who have bonded over cook fires far from home. We remain grateful for the provisions we have brought with us from those cupboards. But we also find that they. Are more delicious when we share them with one another under the stars. But its prey. If anything said here this morning is not according to truth. Mary quickly be forgotten and come tonight. But if it is true for us this day. Then may it become a very part of our lives. In order that we might grow. In faith. And hope. And law. The title. The message i'm. Sharing with you this morning i've got. From that reading that i shared with you earlier from barbara brown taylor's book leaving church. It occurred to me that. I may not be the only person in this congregation this morning who. Has wandered some distance from a base camp. And finds themselves. Sharing a campfire with others who have. Traveled some distance is well maybe from different. Basecamp. So here we find ourselves. Sharing the warmth. And heat. And the light. I'd like to share with you now a few readings from a. Poet i'm at sitting around a campfire one night he lived about 800 years ago in turkey. When i first met this poet he wasn't. About 10 years ago he wasn't nearly as popular as he is today. Maybe you've heard of him is named as the poet rumi. Much of his work has been translated by coleman barks. A former professor of english. University of georgia. To let me share a few of rumi's poems with you he's a. Friend i met around the campfire. Out beyond ideas of rightdoing and wrongdoing. There is a field. I'll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass. The world is too full to talk about. Ideas language. Even the phrase each other. Doesn't make any sense. That moment. This love comes to reston me. Many beings in one being. In one wheat grain 1000. She's. Stacks. In the needle's eye. A turning night of stars. Who gets up early. To discover the moment life begins. Who finds us here. Circling. Bewildered by the lions. Who comes to the spring thirsty. And finds the moon reflected in it. Who like jacob. Blind with grief and rage. Smells the shirt of his lost son. And can see again. Who lets the bucket down and brings up a flowing profit. Or like moses. Goes for fire. And finds what burns in the sunrise. Jesus slips into a house to escape enemies. And opens the door to other worlds. Solomon cut open a fish. And there's a gold ring. Omar storms in to kill the prophets. And leaves with blessings. Quesadilla. And end up everywhere. Oyster opens his mouth. To swallow one drop. Now there's a pearl. A vagrant wanders empty ruins. Suddenly. He's wealthy. But don't be satisfied with poems and. Stories of how things have gone for others. Unfold your own myth. Without complicated explanation. So everyone will understand the passage. We have opened you. Start. Walking towards sean. Your legs will get heavy and tired. Then comes a moment of feeling the wings you've grown. Lifting. I shared roomie with you because. He's becoming more and more popular in the west and his mystic voice. Speaks to so many people about. The deep need we have today to find more meaning and purpose in our lives. Neil i was thinking earlier when you were making humor of the collection or the offering. Author i've enjoyed reading in frederick buechner gave a series of lectures yale divinity school the lyman beecher lectures titled the gospel is comedy. Tragedy in fairy tail. I'm wondering if maybe you help him with that first lecture. You know i'm getting to the point where i can remember thought until another one occurs to me. If i didn't have that experience. We come here this morning. Over great distance. In time and space. And here we are. We've come as wanderers explorers. Questioners seekers. Lovers of leaving. Looking for a way of being. That resonates for us. So that we will not feel like strangers in our own skin. My own journey or wanderings if you will. Has taken me not to an ashram in india. But to a presbyterian seminary in atlanta. And 43 twinkle years there i studied. I was in an insulated incubator of learning in that seminary community. But to be sure it was a community not only of grace but also of grades. From the seminary i found myself in the rough-and-tumble of real-life in a parish. They're in a relationship with people who are struggling. With. Daily life. And i found that many of the ideologies and philosophies. Offered in the academy at least for me. Offered little practical use in addressing the everyday struggles of a congregation. Many of whom seem to me like. Gerbils caught in the treadmill of their daily lives. Well i cherish and remain grateful for the opportunity i was given to study for 3 years. At the feet of professors with brilliant minds and radiant hearts like walter brueggemann and barbara brown taylor. And well i will remain forever appreciative of the transformative experience. Ushering in the life of a community of faith is closely knit together as a seminary community. I confess to you that i have since. Wandered quite a distance. From that base camp. Do i am still suffering from what might be described as a calvinist hangover. I've wondered quite a way. Along a different path. A path that has led me far. From base camp. A base camp. Though from which i left with. Valuable provisions which continued. To sustain me. Today. That path has been one not plainly marked with patches of bright. Paint. Painted on tree trunks or road signs or even a string of. Breadcrumbs. Rather it's been a pathmark with books. Books that have been. My saving grace. Someone asked if someone were to ask me what is saving you today. And let me ask you to ponder that question what is saving you today. I would say books. Many of which are either by providence or grace or good fortune. Have landed in my lap. Do books have taken me along a journey in and around and through the world's religions and wisdom traditions. And through the process i've witnessed my own faith broaden and deepen. As i've wandered. Into other base camps. Or wondered with. And camp was sojourners who drifted away from their base camps. What time early in ministry i served an interim year at a 10,000 number congregation in atlanta georgia. Peachtree presbyterian churches. Still the largest presbyterian church in the presbyterian denomination. Peachtree is on the leading edge of the church growth movement. At least within presbyterianism. But you know my senses. That what. People are hungry for today. Is not. More gross but more. Death. Where is the church. Movement. You know i think. In business and in politics and even in the ministry. There's plenty of competence. Look at all the postgraduate degrees being awarded from universities and colleges around the country. There's competence to go around. There might be a number of competent. Individuals running for president today. Where is the dab. Think we're looking for death. I think that's why we find ourselves wandering away. From base camp. Looking. Forgets. We tried growth. Hyper capitalism is failing us. The drive for more is. Killing us. We try that. Perhaps individually certainly as a society. You asked what's saving me today. It's not the quest for growth. It's the quest. Ford apps. In my being. And in my relationships. You sometimes hear that it's the people you meet in the books you read that can profoundly alter the course of your life. I would suggest that it's also the people you meet in the books you read who can make a big difference in your life. Introducing you to new thought. New ways of seeing yourself. And the world. Unfold your own myth. Rumi rights. Over the years since i have left the parish ministry. I found myself in monasteries and shrums a yoga center. Places like the omega institute in rhinebeck new york. Every time i've been willing to set up camp. In that open field beyond right doing and wrongdoing and. Orthodoxy and dogma. Every time i have purposely. Join together with others who have distanced themselves. From base camp in order that they might learn and grow and see in new ways. People that have moved away from their religion or their spiritual. Tradition or even their philosophies their secular philosophies as well. Growing and they've grown and we. Become deeper. Once while attending an event at the. Apollo yoga center in lenox massachusetts the title of it was. Yoga and the quest for the true self and then the second seminar was awakening the buddhist heart. We were introducing ourselves and telling a little about our background and someone asked me if i. Aprilia christian tradition didn't feel uncomfortable in that setting. I observe to her that the. Greeting namaste. Which was common there. You there. Means i am the light of the divine in you. As i honor the light of the divine in me. Namaste. I said to her that sounds so much to me like a verse from the new testament. Do you not know that you are god's temple. And that god's spirit dwells in you. Namaste. As i have explored. The world's wisdom traditions in religions one book that has been. Most helpful to me is when some of you may be familiar with the world's religions by huston smith. I'd like to share with you some of what smith offers in that book. One of the most important lessons i think. Smith would have us remember is it there. Several ways of. I'm studying the world's wisdom traditions and religions in their different ways of concluding that study. 1 is 2. Look at what each of them has to offer. And then decide which one is. Right or best store. True war. Truest. Another is to see them all as. Do homogenize them to. Distill them to their essential teachings and see the unity. Among the world's wisdom traditions. A third way is to. Appreciate. The difference of each there's a buddhist monk named tech not han. Who makes uses this analogy. A fruit salad. Has the taste it has. Because each. Fruit. Retains its unique taste. The sum of the parts is greater than the whole. So when we enter conversation or we bring ourselves to study or exploration of other traditions. Take not hun. And houston smith and others would suggest that it's important that we be. Willing to stand in our own tradition i recall when. Rabbi bernholtz. Should the message here earlier in the year. He read from the torah and he stood. In his own tradition and shared with us. What he could share. From his perspective. So that each. Participant in the conversation. Brings what they have to offer. Another analogy for this is to think about a stained glass window. Piece of glass in the window different shape. Different color. Each religion teach wisdom tradition different shape different color. Reflecting though or. The same light is passing through. Just. Shown to us differently. The same light. Appreciating still the differences. That wouldn't do what it is that stained glass window if each piece of glass didn't retain. Its uniqueness. Sten important. Lesson smith would have us remember. Smith first wrote his book in 1958 in. He didn't study. Hinduism and buddhism and judaism and taoism and confucianism. From a university in the united states he traveled around the world in amherst himself. In each tradition. He slid a year-and-a-half. Zen buddhist monastery in. Japan for example grew up actually grew up in china. That. Son of christian missionaries to china. And when we might. Appreciate the differences of each tradition. We alternate lee arrived at some fundamental truths that i lift up today for consideration. Certainly with the tension between. The easton west today. Tension between the religions today. Appreciating what we have in common can be vital this week. Inner conversation and seek to hold on to civility. There is. A fundamental oneness. Increation. We are. Woven. Together and interconnected and ways that. We may not appreciate when we're only with our own tribe. Again the people gathered around that campfire who have wandered away from this base camps. Discover in conversation. Did they have more in common with each other. Then they do with their own tribe. We. Live on the same planet we're warmed under the rays of the same moon. We are all warm-blooded so many ways there's as fundamental unity among humanity. And more broadly a fundamental unity and interconnectedness in all of creation. Last night and i took time to watch a movie. Or maybe the umpteenth time. Title baraka. Has anyone seen baraka or heard of that movie. When i was little boy i referred to music they didn't have lyrics as silent music. So this would kind of be a silent movie in that way. Is actually the imagery is set to music and. Imagery captures. A day in the life of humanity around the world. The shot in about 140 different places. And it begins early in the morning with people from different traditions beginning their morning religious rituals. From jerusalem to. Places in the muslim world 2. Monasteries. In. India. And china. The christian monasteries in the west. The other ways people begin the morning. Bowing to the divine. This fundamental oneness all the way around the planet. There are both inspiring. Troubling seems to the movie though. But i encourage you to the look for it baraka. Baraka is the sufi word for blessing. If i didn't explain it earlier rumi is a sufi mystic poet. There is. A fundamental. Oneness in all of creation. The second affirmation of all the world's wisdom traditions is it there. Is a fundamental. Goodness. Once. And. Goodness. From the christian tradition and let's say that god declared it good. And then ultimately it was and remains forever good. There's this whole story about. A fall in the need to make it all right again. That's just a story from one tradition but still the fundamental affirmation. The creation is good. Namaste. I honor the light of the divine in you. Can we say that to a person laying in the gutter after a hard night of drinking. As easily as we say it to our partner in the morning namaste. Unsee an honor the spark of the divine in you. Certainly from the mystics from all of the world's traditions. Seemta. Hold a steep appreciation that there's something fundamentally good. In all of us and in all of creation. New language for this would be a book written by. Byron katie titled loving what is. Is anyone familiar with byron katie. Katie says that. She doesn't. Repeat the mantra there are no mistakes. She just simply says that. We might say what you and you often hear the expression there are no mistakes everything is exactly as it's supposed to be. Well if that isn't true it's at least true that everything is exactly as it is. At least for now. And if you argue with reality or wage war with reality you lose but only 100% of the time. So whether it's bad or good it just. Is. There's an isness invite here the residents there from eastern philosophy there isn't isness. To creation. End. Again it's katie would say if you declare it bad who put you in charge of the universe. The information that. There is a fundamental one this to creation and it ultimately it is good and even though it may seem chaotic and completely out of spinning out of control. It seems that way. Some of the mystics would suggest. Because you're looking at the backside of the tapestry. There is a fundamental goodness. In each other and in creation. And if it's too much to try to hold on to the belief that there's a fundamental goodness in creation. Just imagine what our life would be like if we could. Day-in-and-day-out more often appreciate the fundamental goodness in each other. Oneness. Goodness. In mystery. The twentieth-century philosopher named clem kadiddlehopper. Am i remember that character played by red skelton. Come put it this way. And there's a deep truth in this. How little do we know. How little we do now. There is a deep mystery there's just so much that we cannot understand. Your religion has been. Characterized as representing the god of the gaps. The god of the gaps. Where we. can't get an answer from science we turn to religion. In the more we learn. As science progresses the less we have in the way of gaps where we need answers. Less need for religion. Less relying on god for explanations. To finally. The scientist has gotten to the point where they had filled in all the gaps and one of them was. Appointed to go to god and let god know that god wouldn't be needed any longer. Godzilla let's interesting. Let's have a contest. I'll make a human being. You make a human being and we'll see who does best you go first. So the scientists reached for a handful of dirt. God said get your own dirt. Where that dirt come from. Clem kadiddlehopper would say we don't have little do we know how little we do know. Just last night i was having a discussion about this with a friend of mine who. She observed that just imagine two hundred years ago you're on a street of london. Someone tells you that in two hundred years there will be. A device that you can hold in your hand. That you can use to speak to someone. On the other side of the atlantic ocean without any delay. Just impossible to comprehend. Lord only knows what lies ahead of us. There's just so much unknown. So much mystery. 1. Goodness. Mystery.

uufvb_org

2010Sep12sermon128.mp3

uufvb_org

2013Aug04Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. My name is judy perry. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach. We are glad you have chosen to be with us this morning. We are congregations of open mine. Loving heart. And helping hands. People seeking to become our best selves. Even as we work to make up better world. Please know that you're welcome. Just as you come to us. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight. Black or white. Or some other wonderful shade of humanity. Whether you are on top of the world or down in the dumps. Or somewhere in between. We are delighted to see. In all your particularity in need. We hope you will find this service meaningful animation. And then we'll find something here this morning. That nourishes your spirit. Gives you energy. And my other announcement. He's been a minister for 40 years. And he's been in florida for 10 years. Congregational life consulting. For the southern region. The opening words this morning are. Coming into this house of worship. Communion and find peace and rest. Inspiration and aspiration. Fellowship in love. Come in and find light. Where your darkness. My friend touch for your loneliness. And music for yourself. Come in and let your heart sing. For all the blessings that are yours this day. These words are from elizabeth. .. Is there a universalism. Free church. Ability. We say often and revelation is not sealed. You're always new beginnings. So the first lesson today. Is about new beginnings from the irish poet john o'donohue. Places of the heart. Where your thoughts never think to wander. The beginning has 8485 lee. Waiting until you ready to emerge. For a long time it is watching your desire feeling the emptiness growing inside you. Noticing how you willed yourself on still unable to leave what you had outgrown. Still unable to leave. What you had outgrown. He wants you play with the seduction of safety. In the great promises that sameness whispered. Breaking me to truewell rise and relent. Would you always live like this. Then the delight of your droid scandal around your eyes young again. Energy and green. Opening before you. Your destination. Your destination is not yet clear you can trust the promise of this opening. I'm thrilled yourself into the grace of beginning that is at 1 with your life's. Desire. Awaken your spirits to adventure. Hold nothing back. Learn to find he's in risk. Soon you will be home in a new rhythm. For your soul senses the world. That awaits you. Fade is off until a true story. I must tell you a story. A young girl was preparing for 45 minutes. And in the course of her studies she went the rabbi and said rabbi i cannot go on i am filled with misgivings and doubt i have lost my face. Rabbi looked at her with kindness not much older than this young woman to be candid story. When i was not much older than you i went off to prepare and take a long study so i could become a rabbi. And while i was at school i became confused by all that i was learning and suddenly i felt that i too had lost my faith i was filled with misgivings and doubt. Until when i went. To the senior teacher. Of the school. And i said i cannot go on with my studies i am filled with misgivings about i lost my face. And the all of the rabbi. Send. I must tell you was ignoring. When i was at. Not much older than you i was serving my first congregation. And some years into it i found myself in tumult and doubt. And i went to the school's president. And i said. What shall i do i cannot continue to preach. When i am so filled with that off and just gave his i have lost my faith. It was a quiet moment. Professor said. I must tell you what story. When i to answer the parish and i like you decided to go into the teaching of the ministry. And. Intuit. And so i went to see the better rated. Elder professor of the school. I walked into his room. It was a dusty place you could see in the sunlight that little bit of dust when there's lots of books he hadn't read and that he has written. I knew he would be able to go to the restoration of my faith so i confess to him my doubts my misgivings and i said i have lost my faith which airline food. Uppity. He turned and looked out the window for with seen a very long time. Return bags and he said. Tell you a story. I must tell you a story. This happened so long ago i don't know if it happened. This way or is it just the way i remembered i was 17 years old i was in the lutheran church of my upbringing my best friend hard the pastor's son and i were church together as we were every sunday we came to that part of the service where we tried to say the apostles creed. I believe.. When we sat down next. What's wrong. How could i not believe it. Argue with mark another friends and family could you give christian. And i believe that jesus was the same as god. I want to see you. In time i can convince everybody. And so filled with misgivings and doubt i had it off on a new beginning. To figure out what it was i believed. And all i could come up with was i bleeding. Well. Mark's father harry suggested i go into ministry. He was thrilled that i had. And just dismayed learn which brand i had to deal with the issue of when i say i believe in god. What did i mean. Western civilization when you say god most people come up with. And if you don't like that little guy you can have morgan freeman or universes really like george burns as a possible guy. I believe. Possibly mean for me to say i believe in god and like many people i sat around. Like. Where's that. How do i know what god is. Why can't i find it was like. Waiting for godot. Well if you coming. What is the interesting things and pollock. Is around the world. About 2,000. Bee city. All the images of gods. Disappeared. Is this uniform around the world. The empty throne. Is morton place found in the secret spaces of people. Whatever the image they have of god. Disappeared. And magog onto. Is god dead. Rest in peace. Yeah when we start talking about god. People say all sorts of strange.. And the strangest places to hear things about got her license like this. Can you read that at all i got stuff was pretty far-fetched. I got my misgivings and i really work on a hungry god. When's it coming. I could pay attention to the hebrew scriptures. The second commandment says you shall have no images of the lord thy god. No ice. This is the great breakthrough about 6000 bc. Monotheism. Godzilla became this all-powerful all the way. Eternal. Where is it. Where is he where is she where are they. Read the old testament literature god is often referred to as both and plural. I like this cartoon today's millennial. Who's got. Like i said whole new concept. Our kind with me about this guy. So then i said happened. If i tried to describe that a couple of phrases god is love. The wisdom of the hebrew scriptures. 50 lb. Trying to take the impossible to gain the inevitable and put it into terms you and i can understand. And. It doesn't take much. George burns say that camp possum. So is he ology there's a method for you to strip away. You make it a surgeon of faith in any denied. And then you keep denying. Every time you try to intelligent frame it in some way of expressing your commitment and you deny it finally get to a point. Begin wonderful maybe there isn't anything there after all. Do you have this experience. Santikos casablanca stocks about. After you slept well is all symbols. What's behind the symbol. Could it be. Find simple you stripped away all these ways of expressing your faith in the holy. And they proved inadequate. Would there be anything left. This is a scary place for people. Very scary place. See that there is no god. Your aunt what are you. Almost 50 years later still asking the question will win the world that i mean if i say i believe in god. We're finally i don't believe you what is the meaning of this. I don't know. What are the things that we tv during a divorce ilysm. Is that losing your pain is an expected requirement of growing up. If you still believe as you did when you were cool or. You need to go out with us she's still believe as you did when you were 17. You need to keep working on the question and i would argue the case if you still believe it 77 the way you bleed when you're 67 you have stopped growing. Part of our job is to teach people to let go of what they once believed and reform their faith over and over again we are alike that they born. Again again. But the feelings of losing your face and you can lose faith in. Microsoft. I lost microsoft years ago but you can lose faith in your country. Open happening to our sense of being citizens needs eye.. You can lose faith in your friends. Church. Finally isolation. Out here all by myself. That's when usually come to a place like that today. As what we do is to provide an environment a safe place where you can ask these questions that i thought was true. And nothing seems left how do i begin. We often say you'll recognize these words. We come here to accept you wherever you are and your spiritual journey and to encourage you to continue to grow. Chris mortellaro. We don't have a box full of truth out. We expect you to do the card discipline work of asking yourself regular what is if i believe those are any of our trainings. In the southern region. Nobis mantra baby development is all we do unitarian-universalism is all we teach the congregation how we are together. And then when we learned how to be. Thanking people. We go out into society. This is slide. Gives you a very brief introduction to phase developments. When a baby comes into the world before she can even have any sense of who she is. Judging about the world. Is it xavier place to be. The question of faith and indeed the cinnamon for the word state is processed. And if you have lived more than a few years you will find the trust to come and go and it is easily broken.. And one goes through life and you discover that you place your page wrongly you trusted the wrong this pick the wrong set of leave the wrong people and how do you begin again. After that they can get sent to the storytelling. Let's take a genesis. How many days did it take for the guide to creating. 6. You already answered the question i got all the candy 6 24-hour date. What is the story me is less important than is it literally so. The five-year-old. Understands god somewhere up there and he made everything and well on my favorite stories young married is sitting at the kitchen table in the afternoon mom's making dinner and. Mariah just concentrating on her drawing. Joanna's. I'm doing a picture of god honey you know that nobody knows what that looks like. Rihanna at all she says they will win and then then her brother. Oliver comes home. Look at my picture of god. What is oliver say he's 12. Yes it is. Many of us go through life in that quarrel between the story that we were told and are just leaving on them. And then it's 40 years of ministry gets back here. They can tell you all the things that's wrong with religious stories with religious. Spiritual career. Is that they're doing the dna can't even gotten is not this guy's not that. Experience. Very unseemly to go around describing other people's face. And somehow. Last because you are in light. So the next stage of development is getting to the point where you have confidence in your belief rejecting other people's please. And then the more you study that you discovered around the world is all these different expressions. Muslim word for me either. Got to find my own space. That's a tortuous journey sometimes that's why we need to help us ask the big questions. The figure out what it is we believe in if we're lucky we get to a point where we look at the world's religions in sioux falls equalization. You've seen the cement get a jacket versus congregation there's a ban on hit all the symbols of the world's major religions. Side by side. Isildur the same. You cannot emerge. Royalty. But we don't seem to want to pay attention to that. And if you really did love me. You did to this point of universal and i think the passion work you know what you believe you stand for and your question other people is tell me what you believe. So i learned from you. There's no need to put them down if they play something you think is penicillin. Did any of you taking this. Don't believe america's raise your hand.. Accomplished you well here's your assignment when you go home. Today this week. Oneblade matic. And legal liability for the soul. You'll get a series of questions 20 questions. Those funny questions begin with what's your view and attitude belief in vodka. And 20 buttons later you're going to discover what it is you're believing and you're going to end up with swiss more like this. Last time i did this i was afraid i was going to come up a methodist 99% similar beliefs of acquaintance. Italy 96%. Very little in common with orthodox judaism 5% eastern orthodox religion roman catholicism. Is a belief that just makes no sense. Mochi internet versus even those who claim to believe in god do so through a humanist mindset that we human beings as once we're trying to figure this out. And in american society today no matter how much the popular politicians invoke god for this or that nobody governs. Honey principle that god wants us. Repeal obamacare. You're a few folks have good reasons they want to give obamacare but they never got to testify that. Nobody runs. God's plan. Quality engineer. And so it goes you and i both were alive making some assumptions that were always determining what's important to us. And. Lazy. Yugi versus will believe in mulan's leon hadron. Headphones. Things that are particles within an atom. And then if you show me. Time you saw an atom we believe so because. We're told that the galaxy. Is 30000-60000 light-years. Diameter. How do we know if you'll be very interested you google eric idle song. And you will find a little essay that talks about the physics. It's really quite amusing but i thought typical. 13-14 year-old attitude towards belief. Did you hack a ticket. It was really 16000 miles or was it only 15999. And that kind of thing. So here we are. You and i. Emerson sedge was a genius. Oh, ralph. Groove is in 3 idiots. So jimmy having no part of what we're doing together is helping each other examine our commitments. It is pat monahan said you're entitled to your opinion but not to your own facts so we're trying to find out where is truth. Where is streaks. So we do there certain questions that are part of that. When was the last time you came to church to discuss those questions. This week. Ever. I suggest you not doing your spiritual work if you haven't had a good conversation with somebody around those questions of. Why am i here when i supposed to be doing is there anything that can manage my loyalty beside my own ambition. What am i posed to be in this world. One of the things that's really important for you to change versus the skeptical of your own beliefs. Where we going to the trouble is. What. People of faith of the passionate about their convictions they put a little time is it. I just might not have it figured out because 20 years ago i thought i was writing and i look at what i believe 20 years ago and will make less. When i was a child i thought like a child now an adult and i think more carefully. Neri that so let me get this straight while a pregnant makes all of us that makes no sense. All right let's have the next light please. People come to church for two reasons. I have some connection with something grander that why we live them. I'll leave your transcending value inn in traditional religion in sky what might be some transcending values that we lift up as unitarian universalist. Action. You give me one or two more. These. Justice yet these are things that we only know vaguely. And we know we don't have it. That's what we want to go. Thompson transformative ideas requirement what does love require is no different than choir with me. And then so in prayer will you try to take that off and then we go to walmart off. There is service is our prayers as one of our affirmations. And the only way we can do that is if we're in constant conversation. Between my experience and your experience. What are our shared values are shared convictions. How can we as a community of faith curie r-value since the world. There's a questions that we're wrestling with these days. I hope you're having conversation about these kinds of questions. I used to be present in the planned parenthood chapter. She's a lot of press in 1970. Monrovia way. Decision was made. Argument. 40 years ago is no different than it is today how do we find a way through this in past. Between those who follow. Cells pro-choice independent woman's right to her life integrity and those who stay. How do you work that out how do we have a meaningful conversation or do we are we going to be forever polarized. People want to get married while all the treatments is getting unmarried it is very traffic trailer. In a chinese still the case or elderly people. I'm a mother was in a nursing home and all the staff and worked in that nursing home we're from the philippines and the reason they were hired is the culture of the philippines inc a moral obligation to care for the old books. Moral obligation to care for. The last question. Am i ruled by fear for hate. So here we are. Amazing planet. If you aren't feeling horrible after reading erudite. Got two small. There are 10 to the 20th power. Estimated stars in the universe. And there is convincing evidence that there's more but then. A universe. Linguistic contradiction but we won't go there for now. What i want you to take home today and in the days ahead is important not of answers. Is a people of faith but the importance of questions. Cheap before you always the desire to be wondering about things. How to relate how can we change your name. What would it take could we use this congregation as a curriculum for learning how to get the evolved. How would you know we're doing that but. What would we do when we're not doing it well. What is our obligation what goes on in vero beach you're beyond these doors. Do we have it as a community of clearing concern for love justice peace. Have an obligation together. The deal with the injustice has the gross smell distribution well from the society at the one and five children going hungry. An obligation to do something about that. How do you spell tell you what to do. Do that my good friend you will always be on the edge of new beginning. And it will be a wonderful experience. And you will redeem the world. Just like asking who. Bi-curious. Love the questions and you will live into the answers. I'm at. Ohsu go out this day. So that we may all grow in truth love and wisdom may be so namaste i'm in.

uufvb_org

2011Feb13Sermon128.mp3

You know. I like to think of myself. As a generous person. Every once in awhile i must admit generosity. Can be a hard commodity for me to find. In my heart. I will confess that this reluctance of the hard happens happened to me. In a way that particularly caught my spiritual tension. During my last cross america. Charity bike ride. A couple of years ago. One of the riders we called him berkeley bill because we had three williams on the ride so to keep them straight and conversation. We call them new jersey bill. Canada bill and berkeley bill cuz he came from berkeley california in any case. Berkley bill. Was in the habit of doing something that i and many of the other riders. Found. Very irritating. He would often do something called drafting. Behind the other cyclist without permission or reciprocity olivia explain to all you who don't spend half your lives on a bicycle like i do. About the etiquette. And technique of drafting. Which is no small thing among serious cycling. Often. Haha. A visual. Often when a group of cyclist is riding a long-distance together as we did that spring across. The vast expanse of american by the way i flew across america twice this week. I'm kind of amazed i didn't any case. As this photograph was taken on that trip i'm describing. Group will form up into a highly synchronized group it's called a paceline. Formation. And ride close together wheel2wheel. One following the other interest rate unbroken line. The idea of course is to break the wind for one another. Like canada geese do when they fly south in the ottoman that v. So the whole group can go faster. And use less physical energy as they push. Across the country toward their next destination now. End cycling etiquette the way of paceline works. Is it all the participating riders. One at a time and in sequence. Take their turn pulling like the guy in the yellow jersey is in front. And he actually breaks the wind and creates the efficient v. In the air for the others. The lead rider pulls. Usually for no more than a mile or so or maybe a couple of minutes. And then he or she with verbal notification. Will peel back and go to the very back of the line and then the second guy or gal will take their turn pulling. And bicycles. Sometimes. For many many miles sometimes for hours a group will do this. The key ethic or rule to a paceline. Beyond paying close attention so you don't inadvertently crash into another rider. Primary etiquette is each writer every writer takes his or her turn. Doing the hard work of pulling up front. For the benefit of course of the whole group well. Berkeley ville. He loved to get into pace line. But he would almost never take his turn up front. Sometimes when i was riding with two or three others in a paceline like this. We would pass brickley bill. But as we move past him. He would pick up his pace just a little bit. Beginning of the giraffe have to work so hard. And sneak into the back of allina just hang there in the sweet v spot. But whatever rider with peel-off he just made enough space so that the writer could go in front of him. Answer that the rest of them could do the work. Now this habit of build really irritated me and many of the other riders for obvious reason. For the first couple of weeks on the trip almost every time he pulled this stunt i found myself. Having ungenerous and unkind thoughts for him. A lot.. Here i am on a charity ride with uncharitable feelings okay. This was disconcerting. And i found myself. Avoiding him at lunch or in the evening is the group formed up into small groups to walk to dinner from our motel but. Overtime. I did like the way this felt. So i slowly decided that. With what proved to be little cost to my pride and soul. But i could be generous toward bill and tolerate this one breach. In his behavior. What helped me get to this more generous place in my heart was realizing. And this conclusion was certainly true. As it is so often through in human affairs. When people disappoint or irritate us. I realized that bill was doing about the best. He could. He was an older and somewhat awkward writer. Who's simply wasn't in physical shape. To handle the rigors of this fast-paced. Hard-driving 120-mile. Add a cross-country ride. And so for him rafting behind the others and never taking his turn at the demanding front-of-the-line. Was one way for him to get through the day with some measure. Of dignity. Energy and pride. Once i got my head around the idea. That bill's not taking his turn was the best he could do and was not in fact. Costing me or the writers much of anything. Because we were creating v-formation and doing it anyway after all. I relaxed once i realized he was doing the best he could i relaxed and my resentment melted away. And i could enjoy my, rathiri with him and say to him hey bill who should we get together. For dinner tonight. The generosity i finally found. And place. At the center of my heart. Made the trip more pleasant for both me. And for berkeley bill. This morning i'm continuing my year-long sermon series here on the ten commandments. For the 21st century. Ten commandments. With a reflection on the absolute spiritual importance. Of your cultivating. A generous heart and my cultivate. A generous. Or said differently. The commandant. To practice. Generosity regularly. This is especially important to us as unitarian universalist for honestly. I have a hard time believing that you can really be a unitarian universalist unless. You're regularly cultivating cultivating. Generosity. It almost every dimension of your life. As i thought about generosity is a chi chi chi commandment for living. I came to realize that for me at least there are three interconnected. Yet distinct. Kinds of generosity first. We need to cultivate in our lives everyday emotional generosity. The kind of basic heart generosity i finally found for berkeley bill. The second kind is spiritual or theological generosity. Which is really philosophical generosity. Toward humanity as a whole. Which is what are liberal faith has to be about a theological. Generosity. A kindness. Toward humanity. And thirdly financial or charitable generosity. The kind of tangible monetary generosity which we. And the rest of the culture generally thinks about when the word generosity. Comes up financially giving. Let me take each of these three kinds of generosity intern first. The kind of already explained everyday emotional generosity. The kind of generosity that i found on that cross-country ride for bill. Emotional generosity i think is simply the quality of being. Kind. And welcoming and understanding two persons around you most especially. When you bump up against their limitations. Their flaws and their imperfections. Possessing this kind of generosity first and foremost means i think. If you were aware and accepting of hello. Your own limitations. Laws. And then perfect. And dust can be understanding intolerant. When you bump up against these limitations and flaws. And imperfections in others. Having emotional generosity in your heart means that you give other people. The benefit of the doubt. That you cut them some existential slack. As you interact with. And that you are slow. You are slow to be harsh. Condemning. Dismissive. Or judgemental. Back to berkeley ville for a moment. By the clear another dogmatic rules in the cycling world. I had every right. To be indignant and angry. By this. A habit of his of freeloading. In the paceline. But i finally emotionally and spiritually figured out. But there was no mileage. Literally. No mileage for me or for any of the other riders. And being so judgmental and dismissive. 2 bill. In fact the opposite. The generosity i finally was able to bring to my heart. Read me. Read me and blessed me and significant ways on that ride. To enjoy the ride more vividly than i was. The lack of generosity. Was holding me back. Like a 40. Pound. So the first thing i want to affirm about generosity this morning is an emotional generosity emotional generosity. We exhibit towards others is a lovely and liberating thing for. A lovely and liberating thing the freezer us. only two. Two more enjoy our own life. What are the firm's the inherent worth and dignity where have i heard that phrase before of others. Even though they may be making an. Remember it's often unintentional. Maybe making our lives more difficult than they need to. You know i'm right about. Just think back to the last time your heart or mind was filled. With some ungenerous thought or feeling. Your spirit was filled with ungenerous emotions. Are your hands. Worm animated by ungenerous action. Directed at another. Not only did your lack of generosity diminish. The person toward whom your hardness of heart. Was directed at also diminished you. And it diminished your satisfaction. Emotional generosity bestowed upon others. Is amazing. Two-way lubricant. Dw40. For the. For the heart and the soul. Which makes everybody's life. Run more smoothly. The differently emotional generosity is the good everyday platform of the heart. From which all other kinds of generosity and joy. Lowe's. Which brings me. The second kind of generosity i would urge upon you that being. Religious. Or theological generosity. When you think about it are liberal faith. Unitarian universalism. And this liberal congregation. Are all about nurturing and extending the human quality of generosity. We probably call ourselves a liberal religious community. And if you look up in the dictionary or in any philosophic reference book. If you look up the word liberal. The first definition it gives. Is simply. 1. Who is generous. That's what it means to be a liberal. . that doesn't mean that. Conservatives are parsimonious of course. But the word liberal. Means. 1. Who is general. I like the way writer stephen kangas puts liberalism he writes. Has been defined as generosity. Tolerance. Open-mindedness and willingness to give. Another writer says it this way. At its core modern liberalism is rooted. In generosity. And compassion. It is precisely this generous. And caring spirit that has always animated our faith when it is been at its best. Indeed my colleague burton carly who serves. The uu church of the river right on the mississippi and memphis. The stunning building 40-foot panes of glass. Overlooking. The river. Burton carly. Asserts that the very purpose of every uu congregation. Is to create more generous lives. The people who. I really like the simple idea. We gather here in vero beach every sunday in this house. To create more generous live. More generous lives. Within ourselves. Within our children. And within one another. We are constantly working. Unsharing generosity. And reaching out to the wider community. As we sow increasingly. I doing here with our gifts. Valued service. Nations i quote reverend kylie from. The purpose of our church. Is not to give you. As some churches promise. The formula or secret. To receive the generosity you believe you deserve. From on high. The purpose of our church is rather to create generous lives. The adventure of faith for us carly goes on is not to have a strategic plan. Or obtaining blessing. For ourselves and ourselves alone. But how to live life. So that it blesses others. He has it just. This congregation forum 30 years ago now. Was. Built founded. Illiberal spirit of generosity. Are liberal theology which asserts the inherent worth and dignity of every person. And believes in justice equity and compassion for all. Yes. A generous. Organization. Let me give just one quick example from today's headlines if i might. Many in our nation. Over the last year or so have been screaming often at the top of their lungs. That our society. Cannot afford to provide healthcare protection. For everyman. Woman. Child with whom. Cher. These. Most noticeably. They are saying we can't afford. To protect the poor. Underemployed. The very young. The sick. And there are million. While cognizant of the cost. And concerned about the national deficit as everyone must be. The congregation. Al-bar unitarian universalist association. 1050 of them. Buy votes at our annual general assembly's have urged. This nation. To adopt universal health care. As a national priority. Not because. Liberals want a stupidly and willy-nilly spend money that we don't have. But because. We have a generous imp. For those. Our unitarian universalist faith by its history and instinct and very nature. Calls upon us to be generous. To make sacrifices. So that those in need. Of this healthcare basic protection and others. Can receive those. That is the very essence of. We are at. One way of thinking about this place. Is that this is in fact the house. Which generosity. And i hope that whenever you come in through our the doors of our fellowship into this beautiful. Whether this to attend worship on sunday or. Participate in an adult enrichment class. Or prepare meals for the homeless families in our community. Or work with others to prune the shrubbery. Or bring your kids to sunday school to ensure that they are exposed. Tomorrowland religious values that will help them live lives of decency and care. Whenever you come here. I hope you understand yourselves. Is that a purposeful journey. I tried to create a more generous heart for yourself that's what we do here that's what we do best. That's what we are about above. Fallout. It's why we give our sunday plate collections away. Each week. Discover gation exist. To both encourage. And even more importantly to embody. Theological. And that's why i arrive at the third and the last kind of generosity which i believe is essential. To all unitarian universalist you knew this was coming. Stewardship sunday. Financial generosity. Don't get uptight. Just relax and listen to me talkin about financial generosity i'm not going to club you over the head. Or sneak my sticky little fingers into your wallets while you're not looking. I want to say a word. About the necessity of financial generosity. This third noble pillar of generosity. Is so important. In my book on everyday spiritual practice. Which continues much to my amazement to be a bestseller in our movement in my book on everyday spiritual practices. Including entire chapter on charitable giving. Written by my colleague tony larson. Who's from my hometown church in racine wisconsin. Which talks about the importance his chapter on tithing. The ancient biblical practice of returning. 10%. Not 20 not 30. The biblical practice are returning 10%. Of all the way i can amelie earn or on back. To the wider community. It's an ancient prayer. An ancient figure. Temperature. Tithing. Is a yearly spiritual practice which my partner collins and i strive. To. Faithful. And i sincerely recommend. The practice of tithing. To you. The really neat thing about tithing you. There is not only does it make you feel good. Because. You know that. Contributing. To the welfare of others. But tithing is so incredibly simple and straightforward. A discipline. You figure out what 10% of your assets are. And you. Give that away wisely. And when you're done. You can say to other people who ask for money. I've already tied. I have. Made a plan and given what i need to give to. Most worthy organizations i know. That's the simplicity. Avatar. No. All of us have financial ups and downs. Including among other things.. So with unexpected medical other expenses and some years are scarier than others. Like the last couple of years of economic uncertainty in downturn which. For more than a few of us has meant. Significant loss. Personal assets. Our portfolios. But like most of you. I try to discipline myself to live well within my means each year. So that i have some discretionary income. A portion of which. I am able to give away. Buddhist practice. Of tithing. No. With all this said about. The value of financial giving i fully realize that some. In this rhombus. The goal of giving 10% of your of your assets back to the wider community. May not be possible this year or other.. Like when you're simultaneously putting two grandkids. Through college. Or paying massive medical bills for a 6,000 or living. On a shrinking. Pension. Or portfolio. But i would be spiritually remiss if i did not at least encourage all of us. In this community devoted to helping us create more generous lives. Remind you of the virtue of always moving toward a goal. I hope the charitable giving. In your life is a spiritual practice. The brinks you sent satisfaction and a sense of living responsibly and well. A quick quick aside here. In a recent edition of newsweek magazine there was an article which presents. New scientific evidence. The charitable giving actually makes you how. I quote from the article. There is now abundant evidence supporting with philosophers and the great religious teachers have told us since ancient times. That the generous person is also typically i happy. A survey of 30,000 american households found that those who gave generously to charity. We're 43%. More likely to say they were very happy in their lives than those parsimonious one. Who did that gif. End of quote. A very reliable source news. I suspect. This is true with all. The kinds of generosity i. Being generous. Whether it's emotional towards some guy who's drafting at the back of a bike line. Or theological towards someone you do not know. Or financial. By your giving tucci. Rewards you with happiness and satisfaction it is that pure in that simple. Being generous. Before i close this morning i want to briefly talk about what woody talked about this morning. About our needs as a congregation for after all this is stewardship sunday. We had a wonderful celebration last night with wonderful food and drink and the entertainment that don croteau put together so clever. A great time was had by all. And we have articulated. That we are. Raising our needs here 15% this year. Are your entire board of directors. Has already each increased their pledge amount of giving for next year in collins and i. Even though i've only been here seven months. Cousin i have personally increased our pledge for the new year by 20%. We have already. Received. But as of last night. Many generous pledges increase. From many members and friends of the congregation. All of this is by way of my asking you. That if you have not already made your pledge. Please be as generous and you can if you made a pledge last night and. You didn't increase it and you weren't generous. It will make you happy to go back and talk it would even have to scratch the old number and put a new one in. Definitely it's not here in the text. This congregation. Is a strong and purposeful and very compassionate. That deserves and needs your support. To continue its ever-widening mission of service in. Community we are getting known in this town. I hear it all the time at rotary club in other places. Oh. Your church is. Careful those. And i say yes. We're getting a reputation. Hey we're just getting. The simple truth is. We need every last one of you. Who values this place. The work we do here. Moving for. The light is green. But you've got to. So in closing. I always want to remember the three. The general. Beat the heart emotional generosity. But sometimes it's very hard. Like. That i finally found. 4 mi. The theological generosity. Upon which our faith is built. That all persons are deservant. Of grace. And our love. Arcare and r. And financial and charitable giving. You can be a. Kind of the heart as you want but. You hold every one of your check. The never give to. You failed. In a way. Impart. Having. Truly. Generous heart. You have to embody. The generosity. I pray you will always. Keep this precious commandments. But thou shalt cultivate. Not only because it's the right way to be secure. But it will bless you. And make you have. A little poor. But happy. Amen.

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2011Nov27Sermon128.mp3

How was it. That adolf hitler. And his national socialist party were able in the dark days of the 1930s. To persuade the people of germany. If i enlarge highly educated and civilized population. How was it he got them to turn on his on their jewish neighbors first depriving them. Of their basic civil economic and human rights. And then methodically exterminating six million of them in the concentration camps. Surely one contributor. Was the long-standing anti-semitism. That work was prodigiously embedded in both german culture in particular and european culture in general and in european christianity. But. Hitler built. Hate on top of the shameful cultural foundation. By employing widespread and ugly propaganda propaganda which portrayed the jews. As despicable subhuman species. That deserve no sympathy or quarter. I'd like you to look now at some of these images of how jews were portrayed by the nazis in the run-up to the holocaust. These images from the historical archive. So hitler and his henchmen worked hard in germany. To create a clear sense of the jew as the despicable other. Unless you think the nazi germany was the only nation during wwii that established that employed propaganda to establish. The radical and ugly other nest of the other. Considered those people to be the enemy look at these images. German and japanese people from the propaganda generated. By the government of the united states. It's propaganda worked its way into countless american hurts with great success. When i was a young boy in the 1950s you know 7 or 8. My family had a babysitter by the name of mrs. g. Mrs. g whose last name was glidden had a son. Put banana us navy in the pacific theater during wwii and it survived a kamikaze attack. Which sank his ship. Almost every time she cared for me and my brothers she would manage to tell us how much she hated the dirty. Little japs. Even though the war had been over for nearly 10 years. The japanese. And the end and by then the japanese were our closest allies both economic and political. This hateful image. Of the japanese people absolute other discontinued to live. I my babysitter's heart. Now. I'd like you to fast forward to our own country. And to our own time. Well this example is surely nowhere as heinous or as dangerous as what happened during wwii it nonetheless points. The easy send of other artists. On saturday october 15th of this year. While the campaign stop in cookeville tennessee presidential candidate herman cain. Suggested that is a solution to the complicated problem. About authorized immigration in this country. America put up a tall electrified fence along its southern border. With enough current running through it to kill anyone who comes in contact with it now i'm going to show you the video. The actual video of mr. kane offhandedly making this violent suggestion. And i expected more a few of you will be shocked if you haven't already seen it by his flippant word and tones but. What i want you to notice more than the candidates remarks. Is the gleeful. Enthusiastic reaction of the american crowd. That seems delighted. By the suggestion that we electrocute people on our southern border who are trying to come in here to work and make a better lives a life for themselves watch this. We'll have a real fence 20 feet high with barbed wire electrified. No i want to be very clear about this. I'm not a political guy. I've absolutely no interest. In particularly picking on mr. cane. I think the american people are perfectly capable of judging whether or not he is a candidate. Has a maturity experience and temperament to be our next president. What i do want you to focus on is the fact that someone running for the highest office in our land can. In these anxious and fearful times. Stand before a crowd of ordinary american citizens and get a rousing roar of approval. For suggesting we should electrocute spanish-speaking foreigners who are trying to come into our country not canadian. Just the ones to the south thank you. This too is the sin of a fatherless raising its ugly head. Melanie bring all this even a little closer to home. In fact as close at to home as i can get by telling a confessional story about myself. As a unitarian universalist i like to think of myself as spiritually to enlighten to fall victim to the sin of others. But the truth is that like all human beings itune invulnerable to this natural and pernicious predilection of the heart i want to tell you about a true story. About a transforming moment in my life which i shall never forget. When i became aware of how easy it is to fall victim to this sin of others. I want to tell you a true story about the day i scott alexander first began. To get a glimmer of what it ride actually mean to be a true universalist. It was in the spring i suppose way back. But it's as vivid in my mind as it was the day it happened. Spring of the year 1973 i was in my last year and seminary out in california. And because i had grown up in a universalist church and consider myself a third-generation. Unitarian universalist unitarian. I had decided to preach a sermon at the weekly chapel service held for faculty and students at my school. About this often neglected part of our faith tradition the universal aside. I was sure that morning i could preach a powerful and poetic sermon about the. Pure living essence of universalism that saving gospel. Of our radical belonging in oneness to one another from which we all see logically came. Well as i walked my way up from the apartment i had. Down in the flats and berkeley up to the school which is up with the university of california. I was silently you know going over my migrate sermon in my head about how it's going to eloquently inspire everyone to understand. This wonderful universalist ethic of human inclusion and kinship. As i approached shattuck street which is the main drag that runs through berkeley i happened to glance up for a moment and there. Sitting on the bench waiting for the bus was a very very obese woman. Who almost occupied the entire bench by herself now i've always had kind of an obsessive thing about my own weight watching it anyway. Before i could censor the unkind thought i said to myself there on the street. Oh dear god look at that. Grotesque woman she must be 400 pounds how could she ever let herself get that way who could ever love that. And at that moment as if it were a message directly out of the heavens for me this skinny little guy next to her leans over and gives her the most. Loving kiss had ever. Seen a person bestow upon another. And right there. On shattuck street with all the buses and cars. A voice came to me. A big. Booming voice and it's sad. Hello god. Don't you get it. Here you are and your petty little way up to your petty little unitarian school to preach your clever little sermon about the loving inclusive gospel universalism which refuses all human distinction and all you can do here on shattuck fetus near at some woman you don't think looks right or is too big don't you understand she is as precious and beautiful and worthy as humans get and don't you understand that the love and the grace and the freedom that you want for yourself was in fact designed by me for her. She is a sacred vessel of human worth and beauty as anyone. And you call yourself a universe. I want to assure you i'm not in the habit of regularly hearing voices on busy streets. But i'm at clear california day i heard. The voice of god. And it was a universalist god i heard. Yeah it was. Holy and haunting and it still rings at my heart was as swift as spiritual kick in the butt as i've ever gotten and when i went up to the chapel i confessed the whole story. I confess the whole story. To the faculty and friends and since then i've been working. A trying to become. A true universalist working as someone who really tries to his true. And deny the sin of other earnest. From my life. Now before i say more about the role of unitarian that are unitarian universalist faith can play and combating the sin of other nests. Which is really where i want to take you spiritually and leave you. Later this morning. I feel i need to go back and take a few moments. To explore what leading evolutionary psychologists and neurologists. And others who study the primordial predilections of the human brain are saying to us. About how we human beings are hard-wired. In our encounters with one another. As i understand it from extensive reading in the subject was really fit evolutionary psychology really fascinates me. As i understand it. What the current science about how human brains react when they bump up against people who are in anyway unlike them. Is both cause. For optimism and despair. There been a number of recent studies by leading neurological scientist which indicate that human beings again. When it comes to responding to people who are not in their own tribe. Who are different from themselves. That we are hardwired. Okay hardwired. For both xenophobia. An inclusion both love and hate. For both tribalism and universalism for both altruism and indifference. For both compassion and cruelty we are hardwired. For both those responses. One side on the one side of the neurological equation as dr. paul maclean suggest in his classic study of human neurology. Human brains human beings all come hardwired with. Reptilian. Brains you've all got one. The so-called are complex. Located in the most recently developed evolutionarily speaking spear of the brain. Which is responsible for and now i quote him the reptilian brain. Rage. Xenophobia. Basic survival fight-or-flight response is territoriality. Tribalism. Social hierarchy. Along with a desire to submit. To stronger alphatype members of one's own species unquote. That's one side. The reptilian side. On the other side of our neurological equation. It seems we human beings are also wired hardwired. For generosity. Compassion and altruism. In a recent washington post article entitled new findings suggest that good impulses are basic to the brain. Doctors you're gay or amol and jordan grothman report. But acts of human generosity quotes. Acts of generosity quotes. Activate a primitive part of the brain that usually lights up and responds to food and sex so it's basic. Altruism it goes on and compassionate concern for others. Was not a superior moral faculty. That suggests that suppresses basic selfish urges but rather. Was basic to the brain. Hardwired. Unpleasurable. And the article goes even further and reports that several similar neurological and behavioral studies quote. Are showing unexpectedly that many aspects of morality. And altruism appear to be hardwired in the human brain. Most likely the result of evolutionary processes. That began in other species. And if you just look for example at recent african history. You can see how this stark hardwiring dualism can play itself out in human affairs. In 1994 in rwanda. Hutu extremists within rwanda political and economic elite. Persuaded the hutu majority of that country to blame the entire tootsie minority. Who live intimately among the hutu majority and every city and village of rwanda. They blame them for all of that country's increasing social and economic problems. As a result of an active again propaganda campaign to blame the tutsis for oliver wanda's problems in a matter of a few horrific weeks as you all know more than 800,000. Tootsie men women and children were slaughtered. Butter who to neighbors mostly with machetes. Wiping out more than 75% of the tutsi population. The sad history of rwanda will always be stained by the knowledge. That in its darkest days one tribal group successfully demonized and then nearly destroyed. Another. But then on the more merciful side of the equation the positive side of the equation is the story of south africa. We're after generations of distrust and violence and apartheid and depression between the races. Millions of black and white citizens somehow managed. In that nation to move past. They're painful history of deep and profound other nests. From one another. And forge. Through a complex process of reconciliation and communication and slow trust-building. A new democracy and civil order which while not perfect. Has allowed their nation to move forward and profoundly greater equality and prosperity and peace. I believe both history and science. Indicate that we human beings again. When we bump up against deep human differences and conflicts. We are hardwired for both genocide and gentleness both kindness and cruelty both nobility and depravity both tribalism and can include inclusion. And there and we human beings. Often teeter-totter. Near the abyss that lies between those two hardwired impulses. So if i'm right. That are neurological hardware. Colitas and either direction either toward depravity or decency. Then where does the ultimate hope for the human family lie. Said differently what my tip the balance in the good toward the good. Given our divided primordial selves. Well i think blessed leah now i'm going to use an everyday example. From the world of computers which you all move in. Given the dualistic nature of our neurolat neurological hardware i think that the answer. Hastily the software side of the equation. The hardware we're doomed. Between these two polarities. It's a software side. Second lead humanity to a new age of compassion that what do i mean by software. Software in terms of human life. Are things like. Humane cultural values. Compassionate ethical precepts. Clear moral codes of decency and respect that guide behavior. And this is terribly important another key piece of the human software. Is inclusive and loving theological affirmations about humanity in person. If humanity it seems to me. Can come to agree upon certain software coding. Coding that there are certain values. And and precepts immoralities that must. Guide human affairs if we can agree on the software. Then there's hope. That we will move toward the good. And the inclusive. And here. Is a good news for us my good unitarian universalist friend. I believe with all my heart and soul that our faith tradition is part of this software solution. Are universalism. Is part of the software solution. The humanity even if it isn't aware it's looking for it needs. We are not the only religious tradition of course. With the inclusive moral and ethical teachings that lead to radical inclusion belonging care. Put as many christians many. Many muslims many. Confucian all kinds of people around the world. Have similar. Teachings and ethics of nobility and care. But the core information of our particular faith. From both the unitarian and universalist sides the core affirmation of our faith. Is this irreducible commitment. The human kinship. And oneness and belonging that is what. Animates our theology. For more than five hundred years we have been an organized well semi organized religious faith. Get that attend one of our annual meetings if you think we're organized religion. We better organized religion for 500 years we've been teaching and we've been striving to live. The ethical and theological assertion that humanity has one. And it is therefore incumbent upon us. Treat no one else has some foreign member of a foreign tribe as some sort of other. That we can build a fence. And electric. We have consistently affirmed this in the face of other divisive religions. Which have been focused on dividing humanity between the saved and the damned. As my colleague the reverend rob hardy's of the all souls church in washington just wrote you all got your world uu world magazines of a couple weeks ago. This quotation is in that. He said. Talking about our faith. One of our greatest assets is our gospel. The gospel of universalism. Of god's love for all people. I serve at church robin on i serve a church called all souls. Which kind of says it all. Those two words sum up all that is good and holy and true about religion. Can you imagine a church that called itself. Some souls church. But isn't that eagles on the de-facto name of the dominant religious culture of america some soldiers yes. The religious right he says worship the god of some salt i got who plays favorites i got who picks and chooses. The good news rob goes on is that we unitarians. And universalist. Have to share. Is it a god who picks and chooses is no god at all. He is an idol. Against the spurious faith. We must preach the old universalist gospel of a love that invites all souls to the welcome table not some. I love. Rob goes on. That can take hold of our hearts and lead us to lives of meaning and purpose. Are gospel of universalism. Is big enough. And generous enough and loving enough to capture the hearts and minds of the people. And then he can. Sometimes folks say to me rob this gospel of universalism. Almost sounds too good to be true. When they do i always remind them of something mae west once said she warned too much of a good thing. Is wonderful. And then reverend hardee's concludes. Other folks worship a god of some souls. And they have the audacity to call that good news. We stand. Or commanding and transforming love. That embraces all souls and i dare to say. That is even. Better. This is the timeless good news. Of our unitarian universalist faith our software offering. For humanity. I take it on faith. The humanity even. Through its ambivalent neural i even though it's ambivalent neurological hardware places in on this dangerous teeter-totter between good and evil. That we can overtime. Download. Into our hearts. The software. Into the human mind that will enable us to create a world evermore dominated. Viking ship. And care. At 1. And yes. Know the software of human inclusion inability. Cannot completely control their tilian brain. Just look at history genocides. Continue to happen every 10 or 15 years. Somewhere in the world. And those primitive predilections and destructive behaviors will be hard to eradicate. But the right moral values. Compassionate ethical constructs. The right cultural values and the right ideas theologically speaking about god and about humanity. Will give humanity the edgit needs to build a better future. And because you and i. In this room at least those of you who are unitarian universalist are the inheritors of a noble faith. That is always affirmed the reality and power of this human oneness and belonging. We have a special responsibility. In this volatile world. And with our own reptilian brains always lurking. To share our inclusive values and principles and our vision of humanity becoming one. Becoming a kinship web. A protection and respect and care for everyone on the planet. I for one do not believe such a dream is too big a dream. I believe humanity again if exposed. The right software for the heart. The right software for the heart. Can make steady progress away from that terrible sin of other nests. Florida holiness. That will make humanity one.

uufvb_org

2010Jul18sermon128.mp3

uufvb_org

2010Dec26Sermon32.mp3

Morning. With some things you do not. Do your list. Of new year's resolutions. But i should remind you that i am not the presenter today i am the reader. This presentation was delivered at 43rd avenue on february 24th 2002. Why are there an interim minister the reverend donald w long foster. But i called to ask his permission to read it to you. Donald only gave me that permission. But asked me to extend his warm regards. Wally's friends here. In vero beach. His title was and i change it slightly. His title was. The basics. Up self-torture. Do you know what a warrior worthy warrior is. It worried boiler is someone who overhears a conversation on the bus or at the airport. About a weight problem. Agonize is the rest of the day and the night. Then on how to help opera overcome. And lose some weight. Such a problem is none of anyone's business. Unless of course you're scale washers for weight watchers. But if you are worried warrior. Anyone's problem will cause you to lose sleep. Borat worry boy you're wallowing in one's own mental agony. Is more important. Whatever problem. Is being worried about. Actually. Worried boy ring is kids stuff if you are really serious about maintaining. A high level of existential agony. And my experience in the ministry is that existential. Personal agony. Is a high personal and collective priority. In theological terms this means people not only acknowledge. But they want to be sinners. They are. Sinners. Now this is not a happy thought. But if this is the case. And if the phrase deeds not crease. Is the be our watchword. The maximizing of personal agony should be given. Serious attention. Only middling massacre. Going about the important task of worrying over acknowledged and unacknowledged guilt. Only hit or miss. Methods. Self-flagellation. As your spiritual leader i feel i should take the lead and teach you some more effective methods of chibi. Mental agony. Then you may already know. If i must deal with guilt and sin let it be with people who are confident. Indirect pressure. If you listen closely. When you leave here this morning you will know some of the best techniques for putting yourself down. You will be better able to brew. Then before. You can be proficient at rigorous regret. And self-recrimination. You can become a true child of our puritan forefathers and foremothers. Nba's guilt-ridden and dismal as god made adam and eve after they bit into. The forbidden fruit. You will make a frantic search. For some psychological fig-leaf. You will ensure be better able to strive for excellence. An individualist. Agonizing. If you decide you will be able to use what you've learned to avoid. Such negative pitbulls. If you really want to avoid them. And thereby live a more satisfying lee positive. Mentally healthy life. My preference is to make this choice easier. By giving you an authoritarian recommendation for you. Portobello against. After all in our liberal context if the prichard prescribes any course of action. You're supposed. To do the opposite. To listen. Number words of a specialist. And short stealth archer. Or anyone who works with people you have to know these things if you are a minister. Even more importantly. You have to know it. In order not. To do it. Remove your practice of self-torture from an erratic exercise of a folk art. Into the systemic. A science. You need to know to import. How progressively to worsen your personal anxieties. And how to make people. Reject you. The first is something you can do a loan in the depression of your own bed. Ordering your own bloom closet. The 2nd. Is something that can quickly drive people away so that you can return to your depression. Gloom. But do so with a sharpened since. Uno how to make other people totally resent. Become real pros. But self-torture. Obviously there are nothing but amateurs in this room this morning. The proles were brooding. So let me get on with a description of techniques that can make you unable or unwilling ever. To get out of bed again. First. You need to know how to create. Play first-class anxiety. Otherwise you have only simple everyday type worries that anyone of us can cope with. Such as. Whether your doctor's appointment is tomorrow or the day after. Or did you leave your car lights on. Or do you have enough milk at home. The first to be dealt with my telephone call. The second by quick trip to the parking lot. And the third. By stopping at the grocery store on your way home. Only solve a problem with which you needed yourself. I really first-class anxiety must meet three conditions which these do not. Birth. There must be hell to pay. If your fears proved to be true. Second. There must be some evidence that your fears will. Prove. 30 true. And 3rd. There must be a substantial period of time to wait. Before you can find out if your fear is true. But a solvable problem can be made into. A first-class anxiety. Just listen. Play classic sampled by solvable problem can be. Victory elevated to a first-class anxiety is the fear that you were coming down with an obscure. But deadly disease. For this to work well you would have to choose a disease that could have dangerous complication. And worse. Require lengthy. Spencer's painful. And humiliating treatment. If you weren't approved to have it. It is even better if you have chosen a disease early symptoms are so general. You would find them in a common cold. Or upset stomach. You're really score high if you have to take time off from work or your regular activities. And spend several days in the hospital. Undergoing tests. And your whole worried is elevated to an anxiety of the first magnitude. If you cannot bring yourself to go to the hospital. Because of the fear that it will prove to be all in your. And the cops don't do it all is the underlying fear. That if you just sit back. And don't do anything. It soon maybe too late. To do anything about. If you can succeed in making yourself believe that both action and in action. Are impossible. You have created an exquisite tools which to torture yourself. And if you're really are ill. Or about to be. You can make things much worse. Then they might have been. By being unable. To do any. Another practice that will worsen your anxieties as to have a time set aside. Simply to brew. You can call it meditation. For prayer. Or simply solitude. As long as you do these things. With a brooding attitude. If done properly. Brooding will create a happily depressed. Background. For your first class. Anxiety. The best time to blue ridge usually sunday afternoon. That's how they just between the frantic pleasures of saturday night. I'm returning to work. On monday morning. Another good time. Is that an evening your friends are having a party. Do wish you would not been. Someone practicing self-torture will instinctively make good use of rooting time. But if you need specific exercises to get started. Here are some. Write a letter to someone. Miller. Or send it by late night email. And then try to figure out which part. Mike most easily dismiss understood. Delhi medical book. Copy down the symptoms of a dozen fatal diseases. And see how many of these symptoms. You already have. An excellent device to create mental and emotional agony used to make some lists. List of what's wrong with other people's behavior or ideas. What's wrong with society. And where god or the universe left you dangling. Or favorite someone else over you. On some ethical or religious. Or interpersonal issue. If you do all of these. You can start yourself. On a downhill slide. It would prove hard. Making yourself miserable in the privacy of your own home has its woeful pleasure. But just doing this to yourself become boring. After a while. Besides you can't know. But you made it into the big league agonizer is until you are able to make other people put you down. In a way that justifies. A self-righteous. Response. From you. This brings me to the second important thing you need to know. Tumi. Making yourself miserable. And what science. This is the process of getting others. To reject you. Abysmal. Obviously the more people you can get to dislike you. The more miserable. The first thing you need for rejection is a suitable reject me. Such an image requires you to expunged from your personality. Penny appealing qualities that might encourage people to accept you. And indeed to be. In alphabetical order. Unapologetic. Boring. Critical. Cynical. Complaining. Impatient. Irritable jealous nervous suspicious. Tendentious lithopolis. And is wishy-washy. Is prudence will allow. You don't want anyone to knock you on the head. So you shouldn't get too extreme here. Don't other people. Motion. Taking yourself too seriously. Nurse grudges. Salt. Feel bad. The. Please. Remember. Reject me image if not everything. Is necessary to making that irritating first impression. It will bring out the worst in others. So that they will automatically inflect. They're worse. On you. Matthew stablished ineffective reject me image. How do you go about getting others to put you down in a meaning for what. There are two basic weights. Missing apology. And. The reject. Formula. Both of these are tricky. Because it's a tough world out there and the people you are trying to get to reject you. Baby crying. To get you to reject them. Unremitting. Apology. It helps to have a few standard collection of apologetic remarks on hand. For ordinary youth. Here are some examples. I'm telling a joke again. I guess the story doesn't have much. I'm going out with someone for an evening say. I wanted to take you to a better place but i couldn't get reservations. On serving dinner to a guest say. It may not taste so bad you. But this isn't the way it supposed to taste. You get the idea. Unremittingly. Apologize. Never leave the impression you deserve any positive consideration. Anouk. Very likely. Therefore. No compliment coming your way. Should be left. Untainted. If someone says. You're looking great. Reply. I need to lose 5 lb. If they say. That was clever of you. Just reply. Unremittingly. Apologize. Surgically formula which i mentioned is a finely tuned process for trapping the other person. In doing apparently instant. Put down. You asked for a vote of confidence in a way that suggests. You don't deserve it. Where you refuse to accept any vote of confidence. And ask again. Being sure to make rejection. The easier response. And when you succeed in winning rejection however slight. Just let them know you're terribly. Assurance. List of shores. Future rejections elements of self righteous. An example of how this works. Who's number one. I suppose you already have plans for tonight don't you. Potential projector says nothing definite. What. Move number to. You say. Oh. Well i was thinking of having some people over. No i don't really know how interesting you would find them. You do have other plans don't you. Rejection says well yes i did sort of promise these people. Maybe some other time. Move number 3 you say. You never seem to have any time for me anymore. Now that you've made other friend. The versatility of this formula is immense. You can use it to lose your job by trapping your boss into finally agreeing with your low opinion of yourself. You can avoid new romantic relationships or destroy those who already have by leading your spouse or lover into pointing out your false. And then so. Withdrawing. You can use it to lose all of your friend. By making them aware of how much. More successful than they are. And how much happier they are or how much less they have to worry about. Then you. All together a reject me images supplemented by systematic use. The apologies and self-righteous ploys of the reject me formula. Will ensure that you have a lot of time alone. In which the brewery. In fact the truly efficient self misery makers are left alone and have all day everyday. Richard petty. Stem cell. Which lesser mortals can only aspire. But surely i've given enough information for you to judge how far along the road to ultimate self misery. You have taken yourself. Now that you know how to do it. You have to decide if you want to be. A big league. Full-time. Agnes. I got a cold. On and on sertiko note. On the off chance that someone here might think i really am recommending. That we torture. Ourself. Is it a bit boneheaded to push ourselves to such ridiculous. Streams of self-torture as i've described. Certainly we all have our private guilt. And suspicions of unworthiness. But to set ourselves up and set up other people. So that our guilt spend unworthiness has control our lives. The pizzas. Drives us away from being what are more positive in herself. Tubi. We have an interest to be. Well we're of one another. I'm not just. Lr cell. Buy another. And not trust. By our own fear. We have a tennis to live whole fulfilling. Self-affirming people affirming live. If we don't let our reject me dynamics. Getting our way. We have an interest to extend ourselves to listen. The sing the share the joys of life. With others. If we do not trap ourselves. Annadale merge self misery making. Slide. But it is so easy to slide isn't. It's so easy to convince ourselves of the evil and life is pursuing us and deceiving us. Where is it usually is we. Who pursue it. Ngcu. Barso. Let me conclude by actually stating the two main points that i've developed. More by implication. Send directly. First. We have a lot of control. Over just how miserable and alone we want. And second. If we know how to make ourselves miserable. We also have a lot of knowledge. How to make ourselves. The other way. Papi. A joy to be with. And filled with optimism. About positive outcome.

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11Apr2010sermon128kbs.mp3

uufvb_org

2011Aug14Sermon128.mp3

This morning i want to focus. I'm a spiritual practice a prayer which is without doubt the most universal spiritual practice known to both religion. And humanity. I am unaware of any significant world religion which does not regard prayer in some form or another. As an essential everyday practice of human face and being. And yet that said it must be acknowledged that many unitarian universalist read many of you. Are how shall i say this. Ambivalence. Or maybe suspicious about the practice of prayer in your own spiritual lives. Indeed some unitarian universalist reject the whole idea of prayer out of hand. In advance are willing to begrudgingly meditate or silently reflect every now and again in their spiritual eyes admitted some of you were in this camp. Years ago. As i was preparing to preach in earlier sermon on prayer from you you perspective i asked the entire choir of the plainfield new jersey church that i was serving at the time. If they personally pray prayed. One of the sopranos a wonderful woman the name is sally was the first to speak up she said. Only when the plane is landing. Know everyone in the choir last of course as many of you did just now for who in fact. Hasn't muttered at least some sort of urgent prayer for deliverance on a turbulent or scary airplane ride i have. But the truth is that for many of us prayer at least as it is traditionally understood in the culture. Is not a spiritual practice they regularly or intentionally engaging. Perhaps the first and foremost reason for this has a tatian about prayer. Is that many unitarian universalists i'm assuming many of you sitting before me now. Do not believe in a personal god. To whom one can address personal concerns and supplications. And requests. Prayer again as it is traditionally understood in our culture. Is something that happens when human beings purposefully focus their attentions. To talk to or communicate with or make a request of. Their god. The old joke about us unitarian universalist is it when we pray we address our prayers to to-whom-it-may-concern. But it is even more than that. Foremost unitarian universalist the idea that there is a transcendent. Supernatural being to whom they can address their deepest life concerns or even further. Ask for something concrete. Or change to change or miraculously happen in their lives. Is simply one that does not make spiritual sense to a lot of us. But if you like me occasionally peek at those sunday worship service telecast from christian megachurches you know. But this is exactly how many if not a majority in our culture believe prayer works. Such broadcast you can watch people fervently clasping their hands together closing their eyes. Silently asking god to do something specific. In or for their lives. To save their marriages. To cure their spouses cancer. To help their teenage son get off of drugs. To help them stick to their diets. To find a new job. To bring rain to the drought-stricken landscape as governor perry recently implored all of texans to do. Or to win the conflict in the middle east. You name it god is asked by faithful people to change something concrete to change the way life is going. For particular people in particular situations now let me be clear about the. Well i have absolutely no intention this morning or any other time of telling anyone else. But their understanding or practice of prayer is wrong or silly or misguided. I must tell you that this specific kind of prayer where god or some other supernatural force. Or being. Is asked to intercede. And change the course. Of natural earthly events in accordance with our personal needs and desires. Makes no sense to me. As a unitarian universalist. Surely you will all remember the media coverage about the so-called miracle on the hudson. What a highly-skilled united us airways pilot named chesley sully sullenberger. Safely landed. A passenger jet full of passengers that are fatally collided with a flock of geese on the surface of the hudson winter in hudson river in winter. Thereby saving 155 passengers and crew members on board. Astounding event especially to watch on television. A few days after that heroic event the washington post which i was reading cuz i lived in washington then. Read a fascinating article on the saturday religion page about what the harrowing experience had spiritually meant. Too many of the survivors. The gist of the article. Was it many of the passengers who had apparently prayed fervently to god as the plane was going down. Now believe. The god directly responded to and directly answered their prayers on that day and had no doubt these passengers who were quoted. The godhead in fact. A particular. Personal purpose. Which is why he had saved them from otherwise perishing. Because the survivors and concluded that god. Must have some future purpose in mind for them otherwise he would have allowed them to die. In the icy waters of the. The belief expressed by most of the survivors interviewed for this article. Isn't the god of this creation can be counted on. 2 super naturally answer personal prayers when we find ourselves in dire situation. No. I was honestly tell you that whenever i encounter this kind of. Spiritual thinking. I wonder about the prayers of those. Passengers on other doomed airliner. Who are not so lucky. As us airways flight 1549 out of laguardia. My enquiry mine wants to know if god save those us airways passengers in response to their prayers for some larger purpose. Why not other passenger. On other doomed airplanes. Who has good and well-meaning people undoubtedly prayed just as earnestly and hard. And had just as much faith as anyone. This understanding of prayer when a person asks a higher supernatural power. For specific personal wishes to be granted. When we ask god to intercede on our own personal behalf. Has. At least for me a huge spiritual problem attached to it. Because if these wishes are not granted. For example if the pilot does not succeed. And successfully. Landing the plane. It is by logic either god's fault. For not being powerful or loving or wise enough to bring about the result we seek. Or it's our fault. Or apparently not praying right or hard or long enough. Or persuading god that we deserve a favorable outcome. This understanding of prayer. And how it might work. Is antithetical to everything i believe about prayer in the way life on this planet works for me and for all of you. First and foremost for me is a unitarian universalist. As i've already said prayer is not. The process. I'm lifting up some personal desire of mine. For some supra or extra natural to some supra or extra natural force or being. For intervention alleviation correction remedy or solution. I don't believe. It is spiritually wise or realistic. Given the life i have. To ask some transcendent force whether you call it god or something else. To miraculously cure my friends cancer. Or to make my spouse stop hitting me. Or even to make my favorite football team succeed in the super bowl. Or bring the rains we need to lake okeechobee. We made desperately want all of these things to occur. But i don't believe that's the way our universe works. In my more than 60 years of living i never once experienced what i understood or observed to be. A divine suspension. Of the natural laws of the universe in ways that are personally beneficial to me not once. And so while i will not so i will not waste any of my spiritual time. Praying for such miraculous events in my own life. As catholic theologian re-new n bluntly put it. The prayer of little faith. Is filled with wishes that beg for immediate fulfillment. The person of little faith this catholic theologian right. Praise like a child who wants a present. From santa claus. No again please hear me. People are of course free to pray. Howsoever. To whomsoever and for whatsoever purpose they wish. If for example governor perry really believes that the prayers of the people of texas will actually bring on rain. He is free to ask for. What i am saying. Is it for me as one faithful unitarian universalist. Prayer and prayerfulness. Looks and works and means something different that what it means. To governor perry of. So all that said what is an understanding of prayer and prayerfulness. That is useful to me and and may be useful for you. Again the answer i am giving this morning. Is fiercely mayon. And if you have other. A sense of prayer in your life. Radically different from mine god bless you. Knowing full well that. In such a complex world people have many different views of this essential thing called. And by the way. If you have a prayer life that i have not addressed this morning i would love to hear from you by email or in-person about. How you pray and what it means. Alright. Let me begin with what. It is to me. Tumi prayer the noun. The thing i'm i do with my heart and my mind and my attention. And the condition of prayerfulness. The process. You got the. Prayer the noun the thing you actually do and then prayerfulness the process the verb that can happen. In our spiritual lives in many forms and moments and menus of venues of our daily living. Prayer to me is simply the following. Caring. Intentional. Mindful connection. With self. And others and the wider world. I want to repeat that. Prayer to me is caring intentional focused mindful connection. With self. And others in the wider world. Prayer which can happen when you are sitting quietly in a great european cathedral. Or prayer which can happen when you're driving in a minivan full of giddy children on the way to a soccer match. Or when you are having a quiet moment morning alone with coffee in your own thoughts as i described. About my friend paul. Or when you were quietly walking the beach with a spouse or friend on a beautiful summer day like the one we have before us know. Or when you wake. Suddenly in the middle of the night. 2 a.m.. Think about it dear old friend. A thousand miles away who is struggling with. Prayer is bringing yourself. Fully. In connection. And communion and care. What is truly in hand in your heart. It's the state of keenly paying attention. So that your life can be lived in the depths of connection and caring it was intended for. 20th century. British poet wh auden. Firms this in his famous poem the christmas oratorio. Where he says prayer. Prayer is paying attention. To something other. Then yourself. Prayer. Is paying attention. To something other. Then yourself and creation centre theologian matthew fox puts it. The stuff for prayer is life itself. Prayer. Is agree is growing in awareness of life and its mystery. No. Some prayer in our lives shirley happens in the way we tend to think first about prayer. When a solitary person. Sets aside some quiet meditative time to close their eyes. Shut out external activity and the noise of the world. And focus upon the deep concerns of their heart in mind. Only knew ny earlier quoted says the prayer. Does this of prayer. Being calm and quiet all by yourself. Is the freedom to stroll in your own yard. To rake up the leaves. And clear the pads. So you can find your own way. Through prayer he writes we recapture our own life of fresh. We once again become masters. Over our own. Houses. And quaker mystic thomas kelly who writes often of prayer says this. Our lives grow too complex and overcrowded. Before we know what we are bowed down with burdens crushed. Under committees. Strained breathless and hurried. Passing through a never-ending program of appointment. We are too busy. To be good wives or husbands. Good companions to our children good friends to our friends. And with no time at all to be friends. Of the friendless. And then kelly goes on. We are weary and breathless. And we know that our life is slipping away without having tasted so little. Of the piece the joy the serenity we seek. The times he goes on. For the depths. Of the silences of the heart seems so few yet. From over the margins of life comes a whisper of faith call a premonition of richard living. Which we know we are passing by. Humanist meditator lawrence leshan. Does virtually the same thing in a different way. We meditate. To find. Recover comeback. 2 something we ourselves. 1 stimuli and unknowingly had and have lost without knowing what it was or. Where or when we lost it. We may call it access to more of our human potential or being closer to ourselves and reality. Or two more of our capacity for love and zest and enthusiasm. Or our knowledge. That we are apart of the universe and can never be alienated or separated from it or our ability. To see and function in reality. More effective. Now perhaps some of you. Have a personal prayer or meditation discipline. I'm setting aside some focused mindful time everyday or every week. There are several kinds of prayer i think. That we can do quietly with ourselves the first. They're ever and always prayers. Of gratitude. Prayers when you pause in your life to name what you are grateful for there's even a spiritual practice that says never go to bed. Without saying to yourself three things. For which you are grateful. A good spiritual practice. Roman catholic mystic meister eckhart once said if you managed only one prayer in your life. And that prayer is simply thank you. It will be sufficient. Perhaps you are grateful. In your life. For the intricacies of nature did anyone see that sunset through the thunderheads last night. From the island it was gorgeous. Or grateful for those special persons who loved you and whom you loved in return. Or grateful for the great blessing and mystery of just finding yourself alive. Squirrel. Whatever you are thankful for. It can be deeply rewarding. To give that voice. Voice. Within the silence of the self gratitude spoken within the quiet heart. Empowers us to live with vibrancy in. So you have. Prayers. Gratitude. Then there are prayers of confession. A little tougher. When you acknowledge to yourself the ways in which you have fallen shy of your best self. Unconstructive. During these prayers resolved in your heart to do better and to live more finally in the future. I believe it can do us and those around us of world of good when we pause. In a thoughtful way. To take a critical look at our actions are errors. The ways in which we hurt and have. Diminished others. For only when we acknowledge fullen unafraid the way in which we've missed the mark in life much as the archer misses the target. Only when we acknowledge we've missed the mark. Does our aim. In life. Become. Thirdly and this is the kind of prayer that is most meaningful to me personally and i hope to many of you. There are prayers of connection. Contemplation and focus. When you set aside time. And your spiritual attentions tune your spiritual attentions to reflect upon your life. Your loved ones. Your world and that what you call god or altimas. So that you can know and cherish yourself. And the realities that gives shape to your existence more deeply. Often prayers of connection and contemplation take the shape. Ava direct prayer for another person when you lift up in your consciousness loved ones friends. Coworkers even strangers. The people in somalia right now or. Facing such horrible starvation. And this is the kind of prayer i did for so many months with my friend paul. Calling him to mind and two heart on a regular basis. And those prayers led me to pick up the phone. Call him how you doing. What's up today. How's the journey. Not again. Presby's prayers. Contemplation connection they are not to ask god or some other supernatural presents. To miraculously suspend the laws of nature to alleviate the problem. I was never praying. Paul's cancer would go away that was. An impossible. So why ask. It is an impossibility. As my colleague eric wikstrom writes in his chapter on prayer in my book on spiritual practice. Prairie such prayers to hold people in your consciousness and bring them to your awareness. So that you're better able. To love them and care. I make the assumption that is generally speaking this kind of prayer of contemplation the connection. That most of you are doing. What's the stone ritual you're thinking of someone you're you're hoping that they'll. Feel held by. Your love. These are mostly prayers of communion and caring and connection. That we. Cher today. And such physical prayer physical prayer picking up something lighting a candle can be so meaningful. If you have a. An altar set up in your home with some favorite objects many people have prayer rituals. At home. Again with physical objects. That you lift up. Or light. Such prayers. Are wonderous. I want to share one more thing about another kind of prayer. That we regularly do here at you us cbn sunday mornings when we give. Voice in our joys and sorrow time. To we send out our thoughts and our love's in our prayers to someone that we know is not here with us who's facing difficulty. Again i would like to think that is occurring gation we do so believing. Not that our prayers will work in some sort of magical or supernatural way that will somehow be able to reverse. Someone's cancer or dying process or heart disease. Or even. Even a mental illness. But ran towards take away their pain of losing a child or somehow otherwise be able to suddenly transform the difficulties they face. As i've already said. I don't believe that's the way prayers work. Rather. It's a way of. A feeling community and caring and connection and sending our love. It does two things one. It can lead us who prays for something concrete and caring. Tip to go do something country and character to make a visit. To visit your sick friend or write a letter. Or offer yourself to someone else in need. Even if your prayer is for peace and gaza or israel to write a letter for congressional action or go to a meeting or join with others. All of these. Social justice activities are a form of prayer. It's led you to do something. And do something loving. Again. I do not believe in supernatural magic. And miracles. And at the unitarian universalist i never have but i do believe. That our love and caring when expressed through prayer and other silent actions. Have a magical effect both on us. And on the people. Tahoma direct them. I believe prayer has an amazing healing power not like the slick. Faith healers on tv. Who alleged to suddenly take away someone's paralysis or cancer. And hysterical public prayer. Prayer heals rather by reminding the one prayed for the fair park. Of a web of life in a web of love. And they can feel that presence. In their world that they're being held in the reliable arms of love. By those who care for me. There's one more important thing i must affirm about prayer and prayerful is to you this morning. And that is something that i kind of alluded to in my time for all ages. The prayer. And the state of prayerfulness can happen. And can make a healing calming difference in our lives. Right here in the midst. The crazy cluttered daily busy lives that we have. I often pray while biking. What a perfect time with the wind at my face in the sun at my back. And the heart beating with the rhythm of my legs to lift up people and things i care deeply a. In my book everyday spiritual practice my colleague kathleen the teague tells an old christian folk tale. About the saintly brother bruno. Who was the prayer one night in on medieval england. When you found his concentration interrupted by the large. Loud croaking of a big bullfrog. Just outside his window. He kept trying to ignore the bullfrog. But the harder he tried to concentrate on his lofty prayers to god the more annoying the sound came to him finally he leaned out of the monastery window and shouted. Quiet bullfrog i'm at my prayers. Instantly. There was complete silence. As a bullfrog and every other creature obeyed his command. Brother bruno's settled back into prayer but now he found himself even more deeply disturbed by a nagging doubt. Why would god have created the bullfrog and its rasping voice unless there was something pleasing to that sound. Could it be the bruno zone prayer he thought sounded to god's ears like the arrogant croaking of another sort of frog. Bruno could not push away this uneasiness of thought. So he finally leaned back out the monastery window and again gave the command of all the animals alright sing. The throaty croak of the bullfrog again filled the air along with all the sounds of the other creatures. Brother bruno listen carefully to the sound. And to his amazement he discovered. That it was beautiful. Once he no longer resisted it as noise. The joyful concert actually enriched. The peacefulness. Of his knife. With that discovery kathleen concludes brother bruno understood for the first time. In his life. What it meant. To really pray. The point here is i think simple as it is profound. Well a few of us might from time to time manage to steal our way. From the hubbub of life here in the treasure coast for a getaway weekend say it's some. A buddhist retreat center across florida somewhere. And that's have the opportunity every once in awhile to practice some pure discipline of prayerful contemplation. For most of us. If we are to find meaningful prayer. And meaningful prayer life it will happen right here. In the little moments that are snatched out of ordinary existence as reverend batik puts it. She's a mother of three since my spiritual life is not formed by silence and contemplation. Where can i find that life within the noise and activity that surrounds me how can i find. The moment that came to brother bruno in a moment. Which is really listening to the language of my world where i discover the true meaning of prayer. The good news. Is it for all of us there's so many everyday. Des moments and pathways and methodologies available to us. For us to enter into into find meaningful prayer. There's so many ways and places to find that. Intimate connection and caring that is the true mark of prayer. Prayer happens. Whenever we managed. Tune out all the extraneous noise of our living to focus on things that we love. Perhaps you will create a simple home altar in the corner of some quiet room in your house. Consisting of a few objects that are beautiful a pebble. From beach of your child at a simple gift from an old friend a few photographs of loved ones both living and dead. And spend a few moments at that altar everyday. In contemplation. You can. If you are particularly disciplined. Go to praying a monastery or treasure way up to some hypur. A contemplative mountaintop not here in florida mind you the highest. Land masses in florida trash dumps but you might be able to find some pure spiritual place but the good the good spiritual news i want to leave you with. Is it you can have meaningful prayer in your life right here right now in the midst of your everyday life in the midst of the stimulation and movement and busyness of your life. If you simply develop a language. Pioneer for the language of your life. That is right. Before you. Life itself. Can become a prayer. No matter how busy. And chaotic. So i pray you. Find some time and energy each and every day to enter into an attitude of prayer. To be mindful. To be focused. To be grateful. To remember loved ones. To seek caring connection. And to connect deeply with the world. That is so precious at. Take each time. Take. Time each day to focus your heart in mind. Unlife. Deep and holy place. And in that connection. In that prayerfulness.

uufvb_org

2011Jul31Sermon32.mp3

I spend a lot of time thinking and reading about religion. And i find it to be to say the least very. Complicated. There are religions with many commonalities. But also. Significant differences. Given that this is the case the first principle i hold about religion. Is that all of us. Have the right to. And the responsibility for. A free and responsible search. For truth. And meaning. That is. A free. Responsible search. For our own. Religion. I hope that phrase sounds familiar. You've heard it already before from the always the fourth principle. Hawaii unitarian-universalist predicting. The first principle explicitly includes the concept of freedom from religion. Excuse me freedom of religion. A free. And responsible search. And implies the second concept. Freedom. From religion. Everyone has that same right. So every individual search for meaning in life. Should be free. Coercion. Freedom of. Hand from. Religion. Seems obvious. Tumi. And with respect to each of us as individuals. Probably is pretty obvious. But what happens. When religious rites religious visions. Coming to conflict in society. That's. Not so obvious. Ted wants to share their face. Hor. Perhaps. To tell you that you are going to hell if you don't think jesus as your savior. This is a potential freedom from religion conflict because the objective of visitors. Is to change your religious position. The responses to the two approaches will probably be very different. I have had more than one unitarian-universalist day. Tell me that they appreciate the opportunity to share. And agree to do so as long as the visitor agrees to give them equal time. We all probably know one or two of those. Now the sharing visitor may be open to a discussion. They wouldn't be visiting us if they did not have that conviction. And they may appreciate an opportunity to help you see the light. Such an open debate is an example of freedom from religion at its best. An opportunity for learning. Increased understanding. And perhaps even some new insights. Into yourself. And to religion. The response of or to the damning visitor. Different story. That visitor to will have the answer or in this case. V. Answer. But most likely will not be open to. My religion are the fires of hell your choice. This is an example of why freedom from religion is both necessary and problematic. Necessary because freedom of religion is an inalienable right. Problematic because. My exercise of freedom of religion. Hindu society. Can be interpreted as a violation of your. Freedom. Of religion. Creches in public squares. And evolution in public classroom. You come to mine. Example. Reacting to a perceived freedom from religion conflict requires a sensitive understanding and balancing of the commonalities and differences among religion. Deposit the possibility of a positive response to the sharing visitor. Arises from the commonalities. Among religion. The golden rule do unto others as you would have them do unto you. For example is found in many religious communities. Probability of a negative response by the damning visitor of course arises from the many and fundamental differences. Among. Allegiant. I would like to focus today on what i see as the most fundamental difference among difference among religions. The source of religious. The religions that tend to be the most open and tolerant are those of the east. In particular. Hinduism and buddhism. Both of them are intuitive religion. Religions with their throughs coming from within and recognition of some form of unity. With the one. With the whole. With the universe. The western religions judaism christianity and islam. In contrast find their crews in the directly revealed word of god. God. The creator. Of the universe. A very different universe. The night of the eastern religions. Consider how the concept of revealed truth dominates the range of debate possible. In the conflicts just mentioned. The damning visitor will brook no discussion of truth outside the realm of god's word. Reveal truth. Trump's wall. It's possible that the best result in this case. Maybe an agreement to disagree. Without. Being disagreeable. Which is no small thing. In some cases. But sharing visitor may be more flexible but even then. And individually based approach the truth will most likely be met with the objection that individual truth. Ar. By definition. Subjective. And us. Irrelevant. The fundamental primacy of revealed truth is in my opinion the major cause for concerns about freedom of and from. Religion. To dress that conflict i would like to share my thoughts about some books i read in the past few years and the influence that they have had on my thinking about religion and religious proof. Different authors use different words to cover the same. Basic concepts of religion. Among them truth. Morals principles values. Conscience. All of these words relate to how and what we believe. And how. We carry out those beliefs into the world with us. That in my opinion is the essence of what religion is all about. How we live together. In the world. The first book is the god delusion. Which is a polemic against fundamentalist practices of western religions by evolutionary biologist richard dawkins. This is a weighty tome as they commonly say and any summary of the god delusion would do it in injustice. Let me simply say that i agree with almost everything dawkins. Says. But disagree with one of his major conclusions. The conclusion that has made his book a lightning rod for the religious right. The conclusion. That religion is irrelevant. And in fact. A disservice. To society. In dawkins words. Fundamentalist religion is hell-bent on ruining the scientific education of young minds. Non fundamentalist sensible religion may not be doing that. But it is making the world safe for fundamentalism. By teaching children. Unquestioning faith. Is a virtue. I'm going to take the liberty of paraphrasing dawkins comment by stating that his concerned is about. Fundamentalist primacy of faith. Over. Reason. Exclusion of reason leaves no opportunity for discussion or debate. About. Religious truth. But unquestioning faith is not a requirement of religion in general. For me as you've already heard the essence of religion is apparent from its roof really gre. Define. Together. The essence of religion is the beloved community. Not the belief system held. By the community. So i can agree with dolphins - use the fundamentals belief system and the effect on society. But i reject his position that religion itself is the problem. I do agree however that something should be done about the effects of fundamentalism on the search for truth and society in general. And that's the reason why freedom of. In particular. Freedom of religion. Are so important. I have similar comments about the general negativity toward religion of sam harris is in the faith. In which heat to. Find serious flaws in traditional belief systems based on divine revelation. His concern is evident in the subtitle of the book. Religion. Terror and the future of religion. Reason. Excuse me let me do that properly. Religion. Terror. And the future. Of reason. Not too much talk. where he's going to come from. Another of harris's books. The moral landscape. With the subtitle. How science can determine. Human values. Offers a very different perspective. Paris is both a philosopher and a neuroscientist. And that's that's quite a combination. The moral landscape bills on both of these specialties to offer an alternative approach. A scientific approach. The morality and values. And therefore. True religion. An approach based on properties intrinsic to the human brain. The hardwired intimations of morality that have evolved in the human brain over millions of years. I thought across this concept in several books in recent years and find it both mind-boggling and exciting. Does the brain. Container template for morality. A template that can be accessed. And developed. Claymore. Open. Amor general. Approach. Morality. To a religious community. I think it does argue this point in detail is. A different sermon. And if i ever get brave enough to me. Cuz i want someday. For today let me teach you a bit with a quotation from norm chomsky. A renowned scholar of linguistics and language. Who has argued that we have within us within our brain and instinct. A drive. To develop language. That concept. Earned him a nobel prize. It is significant. That he has extended that concept to include a moral instinct. Haswell. Why does everyone take for granted chomsky asks. That we don't learn to grow limes but rather art designs. Grow arms. Similarly we should conclude that in the case of the development of moral systems. There's a biological endowment which intersect requires us. To develop a system of moral judgments. Hannah theory of justice. If you like. That in fact has detail applicability over an enormous ring. Thought i would add two to the transcript quotes to the phrase moral judgment and syria justice i would head the words. Religious. Sensibility. Here are two arguments in support. Have that position. The first is straightforward. The commonality of basic principles across many religions that i commented on earlier. As evidenced by the golden rule. Is resident. In the human brain. The 2nd. Is an inside i got from books by mark hauser title. Moral minds. And listen to the subtitle of that book. Nature designed our universal sense of right. And wrong. What are the major points in the book concerns people's responses to moral dilemmas. Situations in which a decision must be made as to whether a specific action. Is morally right. Or morally wrong. Hauser among others has discovered that when a person is faced with a complex moral dilemma. They may make an immediate. Decision. But when they're pressed. They cannot describe how they came. To that decision. It's simply. Come to them. Is it at instantaneous recognition of an internal directive. Dare i say. Moral instinct. Hauser says. I argue that our moral faculty is equipped with a universal moral grammar. A toolkit. For building specific moral system. Once we have acquired our culture specific moral norms. A process that is more like growing a limb. Been sitting in sunday school and learning about vices and virtues. We judge whether actions are permissible. Obligatory or forbidden. Without conscious reasoning. And without access to the underlined. I ask you now to take as a given. That the human brain have a religious instinct. That the human brain does contain a template for morality. The template the candy accessed and developed. Provide a broader more open approach to morality. Why is this important. It is fundamentally important because it opens a new path to defining moral. Enhance. Religious truth. As i noted earlier the western religions all find the source of religious truth in the word of god a revealed truth. The fact that there are numerous sex within each of these relations indicates that there that the word of god is open to interpretation. With the various x differing in. Who has the right to do the interpreting. And how much interpretation is allowed. But reveal truth. Is it giving. For fundamentalist those who do not recognize god's word. That is those who are on an individual search for truth. Have no hope. The finding it. If an individual looks within for wisdom. That wisdom is subjective. And us. Irrelevant. But. Brain center truce brain centered morality changes. Then in word search now. Can be seen as accessing the source of religious sensibility of religious truth that is common. Call of. Humanity. Good source of truth is not subjective. But intrinsic. Of course not all brains are wired identically. So the possibility of sex still exist unless we have and always will have. Atheists and humanists and pagans and hindus and buddhists in ballast. And christian. Muslim. Let me introduce yet another book. Secular conscience by austin desi who holds a doctorate in applied ethics. And social philosophy. Applied ethics. And social philosophy. That's a far cry from religion. Think again. How we practice our religion in society is. Are ethical. And social stance. Him. Our community. Secular conscience provides in my view and more appropriate and practical response to the negatives of. Religious practice that's so incest incense dawkins and harris that they want to do away with religion. Entirely. The subtitle to secular conscience. Why belief belong in public life. His apparent. When they see says. I always maintained that the make the mainstream culture. More secular and humanistic. Not to create a new. Secular. Humanist subculture. The objective is not to convert society. But to reorient and expand its concept of religion. And religious truth. Basie devine's three spheres of society. Between the private sphere of personal property. Preferences and relationships. And the civil sphere. Upstate power and institutions. There is a public. Sphere. This. His the social space in which citizens carrion debate. About their shared. Life. In newspaper article. Letters to the editor blog. Houses of worship. And work breaks. It is the marketplace. Where we weigh and exchange each other's reasons for what we think. And do. Is the public sphere. Given the complexity of contemporary society they're obviously many subjects. Some are trivial. Your favorite tv show. Some. Important. Socio-economic decisions. Handsome. A fundamental. The central human concerns of living in the world. Of living in the universe. Potential concerns of. Religion. According to desi these central human concerns are the realm of consciousness. Frontier. Recall my comment about expanding the meaning of the word conscience to include other religious terminology. The public sphere says they see is the realm of conscience. Or at least it should be. Unfortunately with respect to religious debate that is not. The case. The public sphere is currently contaminated by a confused, mingling of freedom of. And freedom from. Religion. In principle the personal sphere of religion is. Absolute each of us. It's certainly free to believe according to the dictates of our conscience. In the civil sphere at least in the united states. The establishment clause in the first amendment of the constitution says. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. Or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Which in my opinion includes about freedom of. And freedom from. Religion. I suggest that the combined freedoms of the civil sphere have been inappropriately carried over into the public sphere. With the result that freedom from religion. Has been transformed into freedom from commentary. More explicitly. Freedom from criticism. A religion. Which precludes the opportunity. For religious debate. We call however that the public sphere is the realm of debate. Which includes. Religious today. In principle to bring religion into the public sphere. Into the school system. Into the legal system. Include. A commitment to openness. Two religious debate. Early right. Excuse me. Earlier in the sermon i spoke of bible during visitors wanting to share their religion. A public sphere activity. And the fundamentalist characteristics i would tend to limit the ability to have a religious debate. The first was a freedom from religion no criticism of god's word policy. This is a showstopper and closes the door. To religious today. An openness to an alternative viewpoint on religious truth would allow for a public-spirited 8. Unfreedom of in from religion. But as i mentioned until now. Alternative viewpoints have frequently been dismissed as subjective. And relativistic. Again. Limiting the opportunities for today. But. The intrinsic brain centered religious sensitivity basis for religious truth is. In my opinion. A powerful counterargument. To such a rejection and a reason to. Religious faith. Religious debate. Onto. Societies agenda. Am i suggesting that all of you should go out now into the public sphere with a copy of moral landscape or moral mines or secular conscience in hand. To convert the revealed religion majority. No. I'm not. It will be a tough sell. Given the predominant cultural mindset. Consider the data shown. A culture in which more people believe in angels and the devil than believe in evolution is unlikely to be open to an intrinsic brain centered basis. For religious sensitivity. It is dated like this that drove both dawkins and harris to distraction and to decry the fundamentalist rejection of alternative approaches. That is science. Fast approaches. True religion. Hand. Unfortunately. Too many other societal and ecologically issues of importance. And this in turn leads to their declarations that religion is irrelevant. Disservice. To society. Based on these data i expect that most members of the public sphere in today's culture. Would subscribe to the position there they that there can be. No religious truth. Without. A revealed religious-based. To define. You won't be surprised to hear that i strongly disagree with that formulation. In fact. My profound disagreement is probably the reason i decided to do this sermon. Desi puts it well when he says. The conventional view that. Genuine conscience requires religion. Has it precisely wrong. Genuine religion. Requires conscience. That statement rings my time because i am. Tired of hearing that humanists or her even worse secular humanist. Cannot have a conscience or values or morals or principles or truth. Because they have no standards. No basis for doing so. Meaning of course. That humanists do not subscribe for the scriptures the revealed truths of whoever is rejecting. This humanistic position. I categorically reject. Supposition that an individual does not have the capability to define their religion. On their own terms. Based on their own experiences both cultural. And philosophical. I will go further. And suggest that reveal truth can be more correctly described as. Discovered. Truth. Discovered in the brain of an individual. Abraham. Moses. Cheese. Mohammed. Brains that like yours and mine. Have you evolve and inherent religious sensibility. That each of us. Can access and develop. In our own way. Go back just a little bit prior to my ranch. No. I don't expect any of you to take these brain center arguments. For the source of religious truth into the public sphere. Especially the last one about the true source of revealed religion. But i hope. Just giving you some insight. And some confidence. That you could. If you wanted to.

uufvb_org

2012Jan08Sermon32.mp3

On the second sunday of the brand new year and my first sermon of this new year 2012. Unusually spiritual ambitious because it is my intention this morning to share with you nothing less. And the purpose of life. Capital p. Across all the diversities of human thought and religion philosophy. For human beings ought to be. This morning i want to give you my own personal answer. Universalist perspective and there's no reason for me to be quiet or obtuse here. So let me get right down to it. I believe that the purpose of life. Are human beings on this planet. Simply boils down to this. One must simultaneously and over and over again one lifetime. Regularly find joy. In your daily life. And at the same time. Two others around you take joy. Bring joy. It may surprise you to learn that this dualistic spiritual idea. Finding the purpose of your life. Is actually one of the oldest articulations of purpose known to humanity. And that's where the hungry. Hippopotamuses come in. It is wonderful little book free-thinking mystics with her as my colleague tom on toll. San diego recounts an ancient egyptian myth. Which every individual is confronted by the god osiris. What's a quiz. Set the deceased must answer. Honestly. And after 42 routine quest. Osiris asked to critical. Questions. First did you find joy and second did you bring joy. Now the petitioners according to the apa. Fly. Osiris. And much is at stake. For if you are if they're able to honestly answer these questions affirmatively they are returned to a measure of continued existence but if not. To the hungry hippopotamus. I don't want to go swimming in river. No thank you. And then tom reflects. This old egyptian myth teaches a valuable lesson about the purpose of life. Note or our van our possessions or i could work. The purpose of our earthly journey according to egyptian religion. Is simply. Did you find joy in your life and did you bring joy to others. In your earthly sojourn. Minister for almost 40 years. Animals on purpose of life. But i think the suggestion one comes as close. To being useful. Imperfect as any i've heard. We are on this earth. Unashamedly find joy in the living of the life we have. Generously. Seek to bring joy to us. So taking a bringing joy has the key. The question quickly becomes won't what precisely is joy. And how can a human being tell if she or he is got it. And if equal importance given it. No surely joy isn't some sort of straightforward simple commodity of human being. What you can. Bring any scientific or even spiritual precision 2. My big merriam-webster dictionary that i keep in my office says joy's this quote. Pleasurable feeling. Or emotions caused by well-being. And if they have joy the dictionary says is to experience or show pleasure. Gladness or great delight. Okay. I suppose that's fine as far as it goes. Is fiercely personal and subjective. When i think about. More or less what it feels like it looks like when i'm in a joyful mood. As i wasn't this beautiful florida morning. As i rode my bike across the barber bridge and look to my right and look to my left. Hospitable and beautiful. World. But surely joy manifest itself in thousands of other ways over our lifetime. And is experienced very differently from individual to individual i mean. There are quiet joys. And there are boisterous ones. There are physical joy spiritual choice an intellectual joy like when you discover. A new idea that really make sense to you. There are momentary fleeting joys like. Watching a smile suddenly come across a grandchild face. Watching a songbird. Ark for the sky or witnessing a beautiful sunrise. Coming up out of the atlantic. Anna versus spain. Like living with a beloved spouse for decades. Getting along. Or doing work for many years. You love. You might do it even if you weren't paid for. Or watching your kids grow up. How likely is this into all being productive owl. Productive and sane adults. Joy. Is a vague and complicated thing but most of all. Most of us like the supreme court justice in his famous ruling on pornography said. I'll know it when i see it. And who doesn't want more joy in their life. Egyptians and those hungry hippos. At first the spiritual suggested that the meaning of our lives and secured by both taking joy and giving it to others may seem contradictory and and paradoxical. It reminds me of the famous quote by american saseb white. Who won seattle now i paraphrase him. Every morning i wake up with a twin desire to savor the world. And save it. This makes it hard for me to plan the day. Fact i think giving choice saving and savoring the world. Those are two sides of the same spiritual coin. As i thought about it i realized that our ability. To take joy for ourselves has inextricably spiritually and emotionally bound. With our ability to give and create joy for others. Their wedding. Similarly our ability to get out there and help save the world a better place. Is inextricably bound up an emotionally bound up with knowing how to take joy and pleasure. For ourselves. So what's first might seem like selfish pursuits. Savoring the world enjoying our own lives fully. Artifact very things which empower and energizes. To nurture life around us. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. You have to love yourself. Before you can love your neighbor is implied i think in jesus's. It's the same idea. But let's back up and take each side of this interconnected taking and giving equation intern. Let's talk first about the necessity and our spiritual lies. To know how to take. Joy and find it in our lives. A lot of religions particularly conservative. Are very hesitant. To affirm people finding and taking pleasure in their lives perhaps some of you grew up and religions like this joyless religions religions where you were told to feel guilty if it felt. Good. Matthew fox. Who was an episcopalian but it was once a roman catholic priest who was silenced by the pope for a year for his teaching. Elena 366-day after the pope's i'll timmy got up at a college lecturer and said now as i was saying when i was so rudely interrupted. I even the last. He was calling about six weeks later. He calls this this one-sided life hating. Theology of some conservative religions the fall redemption paradigm geology. Which is focused on the idea of original sin. He postulated a different. Theology theology of original blessing nevermind original sin original blessing. The focus is on our creations beauty holiness and joyful. I'll let it say it is on words. Scandal of fall redemption theology is one of ignoring and then despising. Creation and those who love creation. Call redemption theology has ignored the blessing of creation. That is creation because of its. Preoccupation with sim. If anyone on the result has been among other things the loss of pleasure. From spirituality and the lost. And with this loss and increase of pain and injustice of. Sadomasochism and distrust. Domenico's on creation centered mystics. As well as as a jewish tradition. Have on the other hand always begun their theology. With original blessing. And not original sin. Knowing life is as an original blessing is about enjoying life's basic gift and then fox. Include. If creation is a blessing. And a constantly original one. Then our proper response would be to enjoy it. We human beings must learn the art of savoring. Pleasure. Is one of the deepest. Spiritual experiences of our lives ecstasy is the experience. Of god. Unquote. In any case. Well these ideas about the spiritual value of taking my car to some conservative religion groups. Joyful things like singing or dancing or. Sexuality or almost anything else which feels good. They certainly these up this original idea of original blessing. Certainly strike a responsive chord with us as unitarian universalist. Our life loving and creative creations affirming tradition. As always first celebrated and a affirmed what is right and lovely and beautiful and joyful about this world. Ours is obviously not a guilt and fear and send driven religion. We are a religion that. Please naturally to the idea that it's okay in fact it's spiritually imperative. To take joy carl sandburg. American poet uses in his poem. To a child you were made for joy child. The feet of you were carved for that the ankles. Of you run for that the rise of rain the shift of wind the drop of the red star on a fire water rim. An endless catalogs of shouts of laughter silent contemplation. From day-to-day for joy child for joy. Our prayer must be that as we move into adulthood we are prepared. To accept joy. In the last church i served. I had a parishioner named joy sex. Who was the daughter of poet anne sexton. When joy was a child this is a palm and sexton wrote. There is joy and all. In the hair i brush each morning in the chapel of eggs i cook each morning. In the outcry from the kettle. It's my coffee each morning in the spoon and then share the cry hello there an. Each morning in the godhead of the table. Set my silver plate. Right here in my p greenhouse. Each morning i mean and though i've often forget to give thanks to faith down. Play the kitchen table in a prayer of rejoicing. As a holy birds at the kitchen window peck. Into their marriage of seeds. So while i think. He paid a thank you. On my palm. For this god. This laughter of the morning lest it go unspoken the joy that isn't shared. I've heard. Dies. Young. The joy that isn't shared. I've heard. Stop just a minute. All of us. And just take. Quick. Existential stock. Of our situation. Are in florida. Here we are. I miss remarkably spinning planet. Mortal. Physical creatures all. With a lifespan of. What. If we're lucky 80 or 90. Maybe a few of us to 100. Mortal creatures you find ourselves alive and a creation which by any objective reckoning is. Beautiful. Integrated. Curious is. Is lovely. Is fresh. What then. As the ancient egyptians knew could be of greater. Spiritual importance than. Knowing. How did simply take joy. We imagine that the gods have more. Do not have access to any miracles graser. That holding a happy giggling. Grandchild in our arms. Oregon drawing a simple supper. Good. Kiante. By candlelight with dear old friends are on a messy tape. Are the watching a gentle summer sunset through the palmetto trees gently swaying. Indie atlantic breeze. Or than snuggling languidly in bed with a dear old loved one after the alarm. Goes off. All is spiritually lost. If we don't take joy from these things this life this world all is lost. You cannot find a. All is. We must not squander this gift. Take existential. It is not. Now please hear this important caveats finding joy of course is not always simple. In the course of our lives. Some days and times when our lives are complicated by. Depression or grief or other forms of sadness. We are on the table sometimes to conjure up ready joy. No one can or will experience uninterrupted join our living and if you ever seen anybody like that they're probably an idiot. Indeed if someone reports. The day are blissfully happy all the time either moron or simply not facing the ambiguities and sorrows and hardships. If you want to find any measure of spiritual satisfaction in life. You must know how. To look. An unashamedly take joy in your other up in your life. For your life is gone for. About 18 months before she was diagnosed. The cancer. Would take her life. Canyon. New hampshire. Wrote this beautiful. I got out of bed. Two strong legs. It might have been otherwise. I ate cereal. Sweet milk. Flawless peach it might have been otherwise. I took the dog up the hill to the birchwood all morning i did the work i love at noon i lay down with my mate. It might have been otherwise. We ate dinner together at a table with silver candlesticks. It might have been otherwise. I slept in a bed in a room with paintings. On the wall and planned another day just like this day but one day i know. It will be otherwise. For all of us. Someday we'll be. Take join alfred. The gift. That you have is. Is not yours. Take it now. So that's the first half of the equation. And then the other half. Is giving. Giving joy. Again please. Are connected together knowing how to take joy. And knowing how to give them it isn't all make sense to you that. You can't have one without the other. Similarly someone. Who only selfishly seeks pleasure and takes joy for himself is what we call a miserable human being. I had an uncle like that. He was rich as hell. And he was a miserable. If you are some sort of inward-turning hedonist. You are poisoning your life with that isolating narcissism. I do not believe that anyone can truly no joy in their heart of hearts if they're not regularly seeking. To give that joy to pour that troy and at life energy out to others. And this comes. In two ways. Obviously. 1 short and simple way to spiritually avoid the hippos drawers is to share joy with those immediately adjacent to. Who was whom you share your immediate daily journey. What could be more simple or more important than bringing a laugh from the funny papers to your spouse. Or your grandkids over the breakfast table or sharing a kind word or a. Lighthearted joke like i did with you and they're reading this morning with a discouraged coworker. Or offering a friendly glance heather stalin stranger across the publix aisle. Or extending a courteous wave to a nearby driver. On route 60. Or sending that slightly too expensive birthday gift to your newest grandchild. Everyday we are presented right where we live with countless small the sacred opportunities. To bring joy. Two others right where we are. And the other part of bringing joy. To the world. Is. Social justice. In the larger picture of our lives. We all give joy by reaching out to our world and caring about the shape. Of the human journey for everyone. Every time we as people of relative privilege roll up our sleeves. And work with others of goodwill to help create annex or expand a societal structure of decency or comfort or joy. We work on poverty or homelessness or. Ending hunger as i'm going to be doing on my bike ride across the country in april. Every time we. We fight for a better world. Donna the self-interest because we know what's the right thing to do we are bringing joy to the. And that's tracked way at first. And this is. Key part. Of giving troy. Dreaming. And fighting and working. Phora. Better world. Well the clock up there. Says it's 511. And it's time. For this sermon to come to an end. I hope that i have persuaded you this morning with the purpose of life. Is curiously and quietly found in this helix this interconnected helix. A both taking and giving finding and sharing joy in your life. It is imperative in your everyday spiritual life. That you work when it comes to joy and satisfaction from an abundance model. There is plenty of joy available and you have plenty of resources in your heart. From which to give joy to all. So i pray you. Know how to find and take joy. This world is an original blessing. And if it feels good it's probably just fine. And from that wealth of evermore joyful human being. Pm standley even recklessly. In offering an opening joy for others. ranger and fred be kind to others pay attention to others needs. Share from your own abundance from your wealth. And do all you can in the wider world. 2 and unnecessary suffering and sorrow. Let there be no doubt about it friends the egyptians. Had it all right. The hungry hippos are always out their jaws open waiting for you to forget joy's holy work. So don't forget joy's holy work. Both giving and taking joy. For this is where. Eternity. Is always found. And i say and mean.

uufvb_org

2015Nov01Sermon32.mp3

Good morning. Welcome to. My name is. Together. Please know that. Or some wonderful humanity. On top of the world. Find something this morning. Good morning. Opening word. Compton. We are all visitors in this house. We come bringing different different. Renewed hope. Sour together. Sharing our present. It means being willing willing. You give something of yourself. You receive from others. Opportunity. Go to. We are all this planet we call our home. We inherited it from the generations. And we have the responsibility of passing it on to those who will follow. There is wisdom in the old campers. Leave the campsite better than you found it. Set together we covenant to do. To leave this earth. Better than we found it. Welcome. We are both honored. Uplifted. Today. No one. More picture. Today we have service. It's the last. Number for 12 years. Committee. Journey. To that far-off place. Call universal. Unitarianism. November. 2014. Good morning. Because it's older. That i am here with you. Eventually every sunday. Except join. Now i want to let you know. Where i think. There's nothing in particular. Was far too busy and away too much of an hour a week. Effective. Anyway. About the most religious human being. Literally. Quoting a good number of his greater boston. Washington and foreign colleagues. And friends. Actions were far more compelling. Commitment. Observative. I guess that is the question. It is what happened. Because. I am here. It is what i do because i have been here. It's not what i believe that matters. Call i believe. Which is why i am here. Personal history. Holiday. My grandmother never understood. Turn. Don't you ever pray. I cannot forget. I pray. In everything i do. It seems to me as i think back on the crux of that interplay not about religious implications of face or spiritual observances. I believe. That my grandmother never quite understood. And her oldest son. Simply started. With very. He was not uneducated. In fact. University of ohio. While her son was a practicing research. The other found truth. Inexperienced. One of my. Grandmother. But having raised the same question. Where do i. 10 mi religion. That religion. Up with concepts. Like god or face. I have to ask. Who's played. Is that why. Blind. The community. Lorde. Procedures. Continuously fail to produce. Helpful results. Stop directing and self-correcting overtime. As a result. But amusing footnote to the history of human existence. After all. Went to his dad insisting on the validity of the. Repeat that. They follow. Hey siri. We still give old joseph credit. A little self-conscious. At that particular. Almost every other day. Look at the history of the world. Because. Is a record of almost inflexible adherence. Exclusive inclusive. As an ultimate service. Yet. Let me remind you. But at some of you know i come from a family that included. In addition to. Counting. One of the things this. What that it is the profit. Not the content. That is important. Which has made the scientific enterprise. Unsuccessful. Exemplified. Better for the ultimate. With a capital r. With good and. Colonel. Is that. At least. This inevitable. At the trivia level. Confirm that some of george washington. Exist in me. Even if some of my children adam. May exist in your grandchildren. Yes. Concept. I believe they were four of them. Is the problem here. Until we learn. More. Let me resort. And approved. Ebony. Religious belief. But there is a difference. This scientific. Is repeatable. And reproducible. And it has been confirmed over and over and over again. Which spend much time or energy. The conservation. Further. They're often little messages projected presentation. Enemy of learning. Knowledge. Michael faraday. Is almost certain to be wrong. And have the app. Open. Remaining. Arguably the greatest. Put the question of creativity. Appreciate. Is that god is central to what they consider to be at the center of their religion. Capital r. I prefer.. As resulting from a combination of. Well substantiated laws of nature. Conservation of mass-energy. Second law of thermodynamics. Sandburg. I'm not certain about that. Everything. But nothing whatever is. I prefer to seek explanations that we know. God. And if they could get rid of the anthropomorphic implications. Now. What are the world. Obviously. Theological. Left me feeling dissatisfied. Eloquent. No i never. I've never had any. By refusing to dominican anyway. The religious. To create music. Encourage. I still single anthems and love singing every one of them. Myself. Free to live. Me free. Except possibly. In the first place. They would have to become. And i think i have. Right here. At you you. No. To the first unitarian society of exeter new hampshire. Because she was right. Practical and effective action theaters. And i want to be part of that action. What year as adjunct professor. At a scientific conference at mit. Part of an institution. Rather than just working. A writing about. Well. Because here i am. That it is our. That gives us. To reach for unwich. Where we are. About the creative. Important. Urges us to do. Have you thought about your journey. If you have. 1in respect. We can be part of the world where diversity provide strength. Joy. Anger. Hope. It may not happen in our time. And it can never happen until someone. Someone. Take some. Shepherd. I believe that community. Significant part of that. Very far off place. Call. Unitarian. What. We're written in 727. Appear to the world. Like a boy store. Or prettier shell than ordinary. The great ocean of truth. Leo. Deforming.

uufvb_org

2012Jul01Sermon128.mp3

Welcome to this morning's july 1st service of the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach. If unitarian-universalism had a bumper sticker it would say my karma ran over your dogma. Because we stress that which unites people not that which divides people. We are delighted to see each and everyone of you and that is regardless of how you come to us this morning. Absolutely happy and cheerful and seeing little butterflies. Or down in the dumps and barely able to drag yourself over the threshold. We welcome people of all economic circumstances all physical circumstances. Both sexes. All races. Sexual orientations gay-straight by lsd. No that's a drug. The whole point being everyone is welcome as long as whatever you do doesn't scare the horses. Nor bi-level in any way shape or form any other human being. Jack o'connor. Always took an extra canteen with him. The bombing runs to japan could run 15 to 18 hours and a man got thursday. Jack. Was a bombardier. And the 314th bomb wing flying out of guam in the spring and summer of 1945. As part of general curtis lemay is program. To turn many of japan's cities. And two piles of ashes. That was easy enough to do since those ancient said he's were basically constructed of paper. General lemay had determined that high-level precision bombing. Such as had been used in europe during the war would not work against japan. Instead he decreed the japan will be attacked at night. With massive low-level strike. So night after night bombardiers like jack o'connor. In the world's largest and most sophisticated bombers at the time b-29 superfortress has. Drop their incendiaries the home islands of japan. Creating huge. Firestone. It was not jack o'connor's lifetime ambition. To drop bombs. I'm people he didn't know. What jack wanted to do more than anything wants to play baseball. In fact he had shown enough skill to play in the minor league system of the new york yankees. But before he could go any further in the national pastime the world went to war. And so did jack o'connor. I'm a night of june 20th 1945 the 314th bomb wing. Bomb the port city of shitzu. Killing some 2,000 japanese. Jack o'connor. Died with. As did the rest of his crew. And the crew of another b-29 which collided with the first one in the inferno of the bomb run. The us army air corps will not know or sometime what happened to the crews of those two planes. And neither will their families. There was one man who didn't know what happened to these men. He was a japanese farmer named phucamol to hito. And it was on his farm. That the wreckage of the two super fortresses. Pinterest. Besides being a farmer. Pokemon sutanto was a member of the shoot saga city council. And he was well-known for brewing a particularly delicious form of soy sauce. When mystery told discovered the wreckage of the two american bombers on his farm. He did something. That set him apart. Not only from his fellow japanese. But from most of the human race as well. He saw to it that the remains of the american men. Were interred in a common grave. Alongside the dead japanese citizens. And he erected on the top of mount shitzo haha. A monument. To the 2017 soca who had lost their lives. And to the 23 american servicemen. Who's bombs that killed them. And destroyed two-thirds of their city. Note to say that mystery toes actions were unpopular with his fellow citizens. Would be the mother of all understatements. Imagine if you will. If an american were to erect a monument at ground zero in new york city. To the 3,000 americans who died in the terrorist attack. Ab september 11th 2001. And included. I'm at monument. The names of the 19 muslims. Who brought about their deaths. Think about that. Now the comparison of second world war american servicemen. To the 9/11 terrorist. Is not an exact one in fact it's not even a mere one. But the comparison of the reaction of the survivors. That. Is precisely similar. For what he had done mystery tow was arrested. And branded a traitor to his country. He was sent to a prison camp near tokyo. And after the dropping of two atomic bombs brought the pacific war to an end. Mystery tell return to okinawa. To find that he had lost his position on the city council. And the people. We're no longer interested in buying his soy sauce. He couldn't find helpers for his farm. So he turned away from farming and he followed his longtime information to become a buddhist. This was the philosophy that caused him to do what he did as mister ito told a visitor. I remember a buddhist. Saying from tibet. When you are born. You cry. And the world rejoices. When you die. You rejoice. And the world. Cries. For many years i have searched my soul for the meaning of that philosophy. Here in quiet. On top of this mountain. I know this. The body. Is only a container. For what we believe the soul is everlasting. Returning again and again. Until the body achieves nirvana. If these soldiers were not very properly. Their souls would have wandered endlessly. And when they returned to earth again they would still be warriors. Seeking vengeance. Producing more war. More killing. It was the least i could do the very least i could do to stop the next generation and the next. From going through what this generation. Has endured. End of quote. Ansel. Every june fukamachi each other. Find the mountain to the monument. Carrying with him. An american. Canteen. He had found this blackened to come to you. In the burning wreckage. Of the two planes. With the print of a man's hand. Burned into it. It could be the hand friend of jack o'connor. Will never know. Mystery joe would fill the canteen with good american bourbon. And porat. Over the monument. To the 23 america. But eventually mystery child died but the ceremony continued. Hiroya sugano was 12 years old when the said he was bombed in 1945. After being graduated from medical school he returned to practice in shizuoka. Dr. segano understood the motivation. Of mr. ito and his ceremony. He remember his own grandfather. Who had served with the japanese army in world war ii. And how his grandfather. Had treated japanese wounded. And enemy wounded. Without discrimination. Because that was his. Calling. As a physician. On the death of mr. ito doctor sugano took over the yearly ceremony. Each june. Insha tuaca using the blackened canteen. Filled with. American. Bourbon. And that is a ceremony. That continues. To this day. In recent years american relatives of the dead servicemen have been located. And some. Have made the journey through should soroka. For the ceremony. Connecting with their loved ones. Who died half a century ago. And. The people they died fighting. And most recently the blackened canteen itself has been incorporated into another ceremony. In the first week of march. The iwo jima veterans association of japan and the united states. Meet to commemorate the battle that took place so many years ago. That took so many alive. On that godforsaken rock. Once again the black and pain theme is filled. What american bourbon. And poured out. In remembrance of those who sacrifice their future. This past year my friend jerry yellin carried the canteen on iwo jima. Jerry. Had flown from iwo jima as a p-51 fighter pilot. He left behind 11 comrade. And his experience during the war sparked decades of hatred for the people he had fought. And grown to despise. Many veterans go to their graves. Will such hatred still in their hearts. Jerry. Didn't get to do that. Almost against his will. He had to begin healing. Because. In 1988. His son married a japanese woman. Whose father had served in the japanese imperial army air service. Jerry said. I hated him. And he hated me. We met for the first time three days before the wedding. And he said. Any man that could fly a p-51 against the japanese. And live. Must be a brave man. And i want the blood of that 92 flow through the veins. Of my grandchildren. Then. Jerry continues. My son got married. Who started having children. And my whole life expanded. I saw. The human beings. Were killed in the war. And they were. Kind people they were bright people and now. They're my family. Through that marriage to wartime enemies. Need peace. A process that jerry documented in his book called of war and weddings. He then went on to write another book called the black and tan team that tells the story you've just heard of jack o'connor. And who komatsu eater. And aurora sigala. It's a story. But needs to be told. To anyone and everyone who will listen. In a world were increasingly extreme estella's that we cannot talk to them because they are. And such talk. Would be the talk of a psers. In this world. The voices. Eatel. And sagano. And yelling. Must be heard. But they talk about healing the wounds of the past. In order to provide a future in which our grandchildren. Will not find themselves killing one another. Can this philosophy be applied to enemies of the prison. One man who thinks it can. Is paul rusesabagina. Now the black-and-tan team is filled and refilled with bourbon. Paul rusesabagina puts his face in beer. In his autobiography and ordinary man he says it is very hard. To hate someone with whom you have shared a beer. Even people who might be predisposed to be enemies will come together over a beer. Now that's easy to say. But paul rusesabagina not only talk the talk he walked the walk. Paul was a hotel manager in rwanda. And in his own words quote in april 1994. When a wave of mass murder broke out in my country i was able to hide. 1000. 268 people. In the hotel. Where i work. To add a little bit more detail to that barebones account. Paul rusesabagina 476. Days. Wind. Dying. Bribed. And control the leaders of the warring factions. And he kept the people under his protection save. Men and women of both. Sides. He sat down for a beer with his enemies. Kept them talking. Captain listening. Some of you may have seen the movie made about that time it's called hotel rwanda. And it is in the videos.. So often we are told we must not negotiate with our enemies we cannot. Negotiate with our enemies. In the face of these. Arrogant. Pronounce months. Listen to the words of paul rusesabagina. Quote. People are never completely good. Or completely evil. And in order to fight evil you sometimes have to keep evil people. In your orbit. Even the worst of them. Have their soft side. And if you can find and play with that part of them. You can accomplish. A great deal of good. In an era of extremism. You can never afford to be an extremist. Yourself. Paul rusesabagina has words embrace a truth. That escapes most of the world and many of the world's leaders. You cannot kill all of your enemies. Even if it were morally acceptable. It would still be. Physically. Impossible. Very few people know the names. Of paul rusesabagina. Komatsu utah. Or her royal sagano. They do know the names. Call dr. martin luther king jr.. And of mohandas gandhi. And they are all too ready to pay lip service. To their ideas. And seldom willing to practice. And that's too bad. Because those ideas can show us a way out. Of the hell we so often make of our world. Toward the end of his life gandhi undertook the last of his famous fast. He had seen the realization of his dreams. Indian independence. From great britain. And the taste of triumph. Head turn to action. In his mouth. As the newly independent india was partitioned into hindu-dominated india. And muslim-dominated pakistan. With each. At the others. Throat. It was to stop. This. Orgy of bloodletting. The gandhi took to his bed in calcutta. Or he was approached. Well into his fast. Buy a hindu named nihari. A wild-eyed swarthy man. Who took a piece of indian bread. And through it. I'm stomach. Of gandhi. They're on his bed of fasting. He throws the bread and he says to gandhi here eat. I am going to hell. But not with your death on my soul. I. Killed. A child. I smashed his head against the wall. Killed my son my boy the muslims killed my son. And the true greatness. In the soil of mohandas gandhi. Is reflected in the gentle but firm words. Of his almost whispered. Reply. As he said. To this hindu. I. No away. Out. Of hell. Find. A child. A child whose mother. And father. Haven't killed. A little boy about this high. And raise him. As your own. Only be sure. The he. It's a muslim. And did you. Praise him. Now i don't know. If the man called nihari. Follow the advice of gandhi not very many people ever did. His ideas are considered naive. And impractical. Why the majority of the world embraces the concept of. And i. For an eye. No i submit to you. If you want an idea that is truly naive. Truly impractical. That is it. Because the philosophy of an eye-for-an-eye ultimately leads to only one thing and that is a world of. The blind. The voices. Gandhi. Evito. And sagano. Call out to us. there is an alternative. An alternative that may require. Even greater courage. The map of the battlefield. But one that will yield. Far more positive results. These voices. Dare. To suggest. That the best way to honor our veterans. Is not to make. Anymore. It is not an easy path. But these voices call us to. But it is the only one. That leads us. Out. And now our closing words these are the same closing words i use. Everytime i conduct the service. They were written in 1967 and i long for the day when they are no longer appropriate. That day is not upon us yet. They were written by bob considine who was a reporter newspaper man and a broadcaster. Again these were written in 1967 at the height. Of the vietnam conflict. As long as our men. B. Sweat. Fries. And die. In actual or cold wars. Sacrifices wintertime should make our food sticking our throats and our luxuries a torment. Let me never to bleed use the words. Porridge. Or. Guts. To describe the means by which a picture. Hwinza ballgame. A gridman bucks a line. A golfer sinks a pot. Or. Othello. Makes. This is where the worship ends this is where the service. Begin.

uufvb_org

2013Jan27Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. It's another beautiful day on the treasure coast it's why you moved here. Beautiful. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach. We are so pleased that each of you have chosen to be with us for worship this morning. Please know you are welcome. Precisely as you come to us. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. Whether you are feeling on top of the world this morning or. Down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you just as you come in all of your need. Circularity. We hope you will find our service this morning meaningful enriching at you'll find at least one thing to take with you. In the days ahead. But you may live more fully and more joyfully. The words of my colleague kathy mattea. We come together this morning to remind one another to rest. For a moment. On the forming edge of our lives. To resist the headlong tumble into the next moment. Until we claim for ourselves. Awareness and gratitude. Taking the time to look into one another's faces and see there. Communion. The reflection. Of our own eyes. This house of laughter and silence memory and hope. Is hallowed by our presents together. The following is a spoken meditation which will be followed by several moments of silent meditation. According to the pali commentaries. The buddha originally gave this instruction of loving-kindness meditation two monks who were being harassed by the tree spirits of a forest in of a forest in which the monks we're trying to meditate. After doing this meditation in the forest it is said that the spirits were so affected. Or the power of loving-kindness that they allowed the monks to stay in the forest. For the duration of the rainy season. This is what should be done by one who is skilled in goodness. And who knows the path of peace. Wishing. And gladness and in safety. May all beings be at ease. Whatever living beings there maybe. Whether they are weak or strong omitting none the great. Or the mighty medium-short or small. The seen and the unseen those living near and far away. Those born. Or about to be born. May all beings be. At ease. Let none deceive another or despise any being in any state. Let none. Through anger or ill-will. Wish harm upon another. Even as the mother protects with her life. Her child. Her only child. So with a boundless heart should one cherish. All living beings. Radiating kindness over the entire world. Spreading upwards to the sky and downward to the depths. Outward and unbounded. Freed from hatred and ill-will. Weather standing or walking. Seated or lying down. Free from drowsiness one should sustain this recollection. This is said to be the sublime abiding. May all beings be. At ease. Well this morning. I continued my 2013 seasonal sermon series. On the seven heavenly virtues. And the seven deadly sins identified so many centuries ago by the early christian church. With a third installment this week on this type of the duality kindness. And envy now. As i have spelled out in my introductions to both the first two installments over the last two weeks. My well-laid plan for the series was in each of the seven sermons preached between now and may. To explore what i think is the creative spiritual emotional and moral tension. Between these sets of seeming. Polar human opposites. With. Most of these dualistic sets. It's pretty easy for me to identify the ways in which the identified virtue is listed first on the left. Are not so purely virtual. And for me to identify how devices are the sins on the right. Are not so purely wicked. In other words i've not had too much trouble articulating. The ways the heavenly virtues are not all that heavenly. And the seven deadly sins are not all that deadly. Butter in fact eat. Apart. What it means to be fully an authentically human butt. This morning and addressing the virtue of kindness and the vice of envy i'm in something of a different and much more challenging philosophical. An intellectual spot precisely because. As i think about them anyway kindness kindness really is pretty much. A pure virtue. And then the really is pretty much a pure vice. In other words it's really difficult to say anything bad about kindness. It almost impossible to say anything good about envy. But let me start with arguably the much easier side of this equation to my mind anyway. Kindness. Is there anyone here right now who had a bad word to say about kindness. No. Susan you can't do that to me. It was a rhetorical question not a real one. Here's what wikipedia the online a galuteria dictionary has to say about kindness. Going to put their definition up. Kindness. Is the act or state of being kind. Being marked by good and charitable behavior pleasant disposition. And concern for others it is known as a virtue. And recognized as a value in many cultures and religions. Any cruise on this is kind of curious research has shown. But acts of kindness not only benefit receivers. Of the kind act but also the giver. As a release of neurotransmitters. Respondus is a modern dictionary. Responsible for feelings of contentment and relaxation. When such acts are committed. Another offer author offers the following definition of kind. It's charity. Compassion and friendship. For its own sake. Empathy and trust. Without prejudice or resent. Unselfish love and voluntary kindness. Without bias or spite. Indeed all the world's great religions religious traditions. Proclaim and acknowledge the absolute value and importance. Kindness in human affairs. Talmud. Of ancient jewish scriptures claims that quote. Deeds of kindness. Are equal in weight. To all the commandments. And many consider kindness to be the lost 11. Of the ten commandments. In the jewish tradition. Much as i said in my sermon a couple years back on the golden rule. Which enjoins us always to do unto others. As we would have them. Do unto us. In the christian tradition kindness is listed as one of the fruits of the spirit. By paul of tarsus otherwise known as saint paul. In buddhism the 14th dalai lama tenzin gyatso simply declared. Mi religion. Is kindness. The hindu tradition. Spiritually asks. Where is religion. Without loving kindness. Confucius urged his followers to quote. Recompense. Kindness. With. Kindness and islam. The prophet muhammad himself said. Allah is kind. And he loves. Kindness. But perhaps the best of all. All the simple tributes that i like. Is that with twentieth-century humanist. British philosopher aldous huxley offered. To the virtual human kindness. I'm putting it up for. He wrote. He was a great philosopher. It is a bit embarrassing. Jordan concern what the human problem all one's life. And find that at the end one has. No more to offer by way of advice than. Try. Tubi. So kindness i think must be understood by all of humanity including unitarian universalist. As a heavenly or near-perfect virtue. For us to put into practice in our daily lives. Just as broadly and frequently as possible. You know one of the nicest things you can say about another human being is that they are kind. And it's hard for me to imagine that any of us will ever be accused. During our lifetimes of being overly kind. That despite the saying that a person can be killed with kindness i don't really believe that. I am persuaded. That there is no such thing in human affairs. Estimate car. The bottom line my friends is it all of us on our spiritual journeys tour being better people. Should always seek. To be kinder. And just learn individual. . feeny and the varga. It's like the buddha said we want. All beings everywhere to be. The way we do that is by being. Kind. So. With that i assume shining truth. Established about kindness. Let's turn our attention to the skin side of this morning's equation shall we. Just as kindness. Is a nearly unquestionable virtue envy is almost certainly always an unseemly and ugly. Sim or human failing. Let's turn once again to wikipedia you're going to be sick wikipedia by the time i'm done with the series. They write. Envy is best defined as a resentful emotion. That occurs when a person lacks another's perceived. Superior quality achievement or possession. And wishes that the other lactic. Not only is he a person rendered unhappy by his envy. But they also wish to inflict misfortune on others. Envy. The wikipedia ends is similar to jealousy and that. They both feel discontent toward someone's traits. Status abilities. Or rewards. Envy the authors write. Is best defined as resentful emotion. As henry farley bluntly observes. About envy in his book. The seven deadly sins today he says. The face of envy is never lovely. It seems to be the nastiest the most grim the meanest of the sims it is sneering and sly and vicious. And my colleague will saunders. Similarly right. Each of the deadly sins. Destructive. But at least the other sins provide moments of gratification in the earlier stages. Hoofer example does not enjoy the initial pleasures of sloth. Everest gluttony or lust. With any rice. But it doesn't last. All those first moments are delicious. But envy by contrast he writes hold no initial gratification. With envy there is nothing particularly. To enjoy. Envy. Has absolutely nothing to recommend itself. In human affairs. When you feel envy. When you were filled with envy or poisoned with envy. It instantly makes you feel bad about yourself. And pollutes your relationship. With the persons or person. Ford home you direct this venom. Mvsa saying in some circles is a lose-lose proposition. It is a quick and total downer that leaves everyone the poor. And yet despite its obvious cost most of us. Experience and the i mean let's be honest. Who among us does not at least feel from time to time. A twinge of envy directed at another. Perhaps you feel it welling up inside you when your kid brother. Pulled into your driveway with his new lexus. That you can't afford. Or when you walk into a neighbor's home and his appointed much more lavishly tastefully and beautifully than your own. Or perhaps you get that. of envying your stomach when you see somebody at the gym. Who has a much more beautiful body or much pain summer face. Then you imagine your own to be. Or when while out enjoying an afternoon at the mall or museum you plants over and see you. Hopeless a seemingly hopeless. Happy family or couple obviously enjoying each other's company more than. You are feeling at the moment. Toward your spouse of the last 28 years. Or your kids. But we'll leave them alone for. Or when it work you realize that one of your younger energetic co-workers really is brighter and more intellectually capable and you. There are so many comparisons. We can and naturally do make. Between ourselves and others. And when we do make such comparisons and fine for whatever. Reason our own lives wanting. That is precisely when md can rear its ugly head. And make us feel inadequate or jealous or in the app. Or just feel inferior. He has better looks. She has a bigger stock portfolio. He has more talented children. She has everyone's respect for her brains. He has such a loving family and so many friends she always gets the plum promotion at work. He takes fabulous exotic vacations and on and on and on the comparisons. Can go that make our own lives looking for. Let me just quickly crawl into the confession booth on this subject. Just a moment myself. And give you an everyday example an envy despite my best intentions crept into my heart. And worked its mischief. A few years ago when i was the senior minister of a large and very prosperous church. In bethesda maryland. The congregation after years of healthy growth under my guidance. Entered a period of number stagnation we just hit a plateau and even. At toward the other way ministry began a slow decline. My hard-working staff and i all 17 of us. How many staff. We all felt we were doing just about everything right. And there were other button or other three other large you use suburban churches in similar town so we're also having the same. Demographic decline that we were. What. Just down the road from. There was one church. Just like us in a similar suburb that was growing by leaps and bounds. With both people and money pouring in and some of my congregations more aggressive l. Alyssa port of leaders. Pointed this out reviewing fairfax. Now i have always liked and respected my colleague in the successful church but i will admit that some nd crept into my heart. As i watched her shop blossom. While mine and the other ones were spinning their wheels i find myself saying to myself quietly. I was going to benefit her she has the keys just lucky that's all she's got a better demographic. Envy is an emotional snake. The house the way of knowing just how to. Slytherin slide into your heart. Lme pause for lunch recipe little. Rather than. Me tell you some more examples i want you. To take about 10 second. I'm thinking your life. The last couple of years. But sometime when. Hilton. Think about. How. Cryptids. I hope that. You were all able in the honesty of your own silence. To conjure up. Some concrete reflection of envy. Because. It really. Is a universal thing in it and i think it almost never feels good. No inter-human defense. For who doesn't like who doesn't who likes to admit feeling in between toes. In our own defense we might protest that what we are. Usually feeling when we stack up what we have and are against what others having our. It's admiration not envy. Now surely it is not a sin to positively admire others in fact admiring the skills. Lock possessions qualities in a shipment of people around us. To knowledge the good thing in people's lives and even want them. Out of that positive association for yourself. Can i take be a positive and motivating and useful thing. When we truly admire others. Boy she sure knows how to apply herself at work and advance her career. Why was he ever a good father and husband and cook. Manda she ever know how to dress and take care of her body. I wish i could succeed in the stock market the way he does. Our sincere admiration for the good and desirable things other people have an r. Can. Can function positively to motivate us. Towards self development and improvement hard work and diligence more effort more discipline more care. And whatever aspect of living we admire. Early in my career as a minister for example. I truly admired some of the great preachers of our moving and i think. That admiration helped me to learn. From them i would. I would say look at the qualities. These three or four men who is that time is all men. Who am i study the art of preaching and worked on my skill i believe my admiration. Was a positive. Forsyth. Canby. A positive force in all of our lives. If. Prevent it. We prevent it from waxing over into the. Poisonous. Negative. Diminishing simple realm of envy if we can just keep it as admiration. As i have already said. Envy more than anything else. Harms. Human relationship. It harms the relationships you have. With those toward whom the envy has directed. And even more importantly it harms our relationship you have with your own self. And your own life. It harms your relationship. With your own life. First of course. Begrudging comparison of what others have or our necessity poisons our relationships with them. How can we be envious deepen our guts to someone else's wealth. Or success or capabilities or charm. And not have those feelings sully or somehow diminished. Our interaction. With them. Oh we may still smile and appear outwardly enthusiastic. In our dealings with those who trigger rmv but over time our feelings. Inferiority. Inevitably eat away i think it's the he's in the flow and the joy. Other relations. And even more than this truth. That ended drives us away from others. It also damages our relationship the relationship we have with our. Incels. County road. The joyful connection we have. With the precious an amazing life. That we have been each given supper. Live. Reason with me. To be envious of other human person. Means that we are in some way or another fundamentally dissatisfied with our own lives. Feeling nd means we don't truly feel good about. Who we already are and what we already have. And so we imagine others as superior to us. It is my colleague will saunders who writes ultimately. The source of envy. Is is low self-esteem. It is a lack of appreciation and gratitude for what we do have for the gifts. We are given. Mva arises he writes from the feeling. That by not having what others have we are somehow a failure somehow that's worthy and henry farley. Does the same thing a bit differently. The envious person does not love him or herself. Are envious disparagement of others is a reflection of our disparagement. Of ourselves. I believe these observations. Precisely on time. And the biologic is always a symptom of low spiritual and emotional self esteem. I persuaded that nd can only rise in our hearts and sully our relationships with others. If we are. If we are not in a right positive and grateful relation. With the lies we have and the blessings we already put. Relation. With that. Mdworker. Surely we can only be diminished personally. By the feeling that others are superior to us. If we are out of sync with our own. Soles. A nun. Comfortable in our own skin. When dante. Rode his dark. I found it on the web is that a great picture that's the devil obviously it in the one of the rings of hell. When you wrote this dark allegory the inferno in the 13th century. He seemed to understand how envy function. Not only to cut us off from those we envy but to cut us off from ourselves and the blessings we have in this life. When dante and his companions. Come upon the envious in the underworld he finds them suffering. Terrible and blind poverty of being the envious are being punished. By god. Weather santa being envious by having their eyes drawn shut closed with threads of iron wire. As farley explains dante's ironic punishment. The eyes of the envious. While they lived could not bear to look upon joy especially the joy of others. Which might have shown on them so now in the afterlife their eyes are closed shut. So they may not look at the light of the sun. And others may not look into their eyes. With the happiness. That might have greeted them. No i'm not sure that dante is version of hell awaits each of us. If we fall victim to a little envy now and that i hope not. Unitarian universalist believe in hell anyways. But obviously. We would be all spiritual emotionally happier and live much in a much more positive place and then better relations with others. If we don't spend our lives always comparing ourselves to others in terms of what. We art are not what we cannot do and what we do not have. My colleague rodger fritz. Describe the relevant cartoony once on the new yorker may or somewhere. Two monks are walking outside of chapel in a monastery in the one month. Most of the other. Brother paul i know it's a sim. But i can't help but envy you. I found my way. To this life in the monastery only recently before i came here i little life in the outside world i made lots of money in the stock market and real estate. I built myself a big house with a swimming pool and a hot tub is the best restaurants in the world i went to spectacular shows in places like vegas in. Monte carlo wiper blade. Golf at all the best country clubs i skied saint moritz and aspen i bought new sports car every year and of course i made love to many beautiful women. You want the other hand brother paul came to the monastery when you were very young man and have devoted your life to god and contemplation oin view. To which brother paul looks like this in the cartoon. Look in almost any human context envy. Negatively comparing ourselves to what others have can crop up because no matter how. Good we may have at the grass does always look greener on the other side. As greek philosopher rototillers observe centuries ago. Nbcuniversal. It is rooted in. Cute heart and it is natural to man and we. But that being acknowledged to the extent that we are able. Emotional and spiritual live. We must limit our comparison with. Others. Which will thereby enable us to focus on the riches of our own lives. Abundant blessings that are already ours and the unquenchable beauty and worth. We already possess. Listen again to the wise words of my friend wilson. The solution to envy. Is simple really. But difficult. We must know ourselves. We must be ourselves. We must count our blessings live in the grace of this world we must have fell of confidence in who we are and what is important to us. We must learn to honor our own life and vision are envision. Our own experience and be our own person. Recognizing without regret or comparison that others will be different. Different skills. Talents resources and dreams and then he write the end. To banish envy. From our lives. We must love ourselves and love. Lives. We haven't give. Exactly right. I want to summarize everything i said to you i. About kindness. And then the other. Envy is a sin. Because it is unhealthy attachment. To your own self and your dissatisfaction. When you fall victim to envy you are caught up in a kind of self-centered narcissism. But not only diminishes you and your satisfaction with the world but also diminishes. The one you work with. Md is a lose-lose. Position proposition that poisons. Everything. But kindness. Is just the opposite. It is a powerful virtue of goodness. And karen connection. Kindness is all about moving past. A dark preoccupation. The cell. And focusing as the buddha would have you on other. They're happy. And their well-being. When you live a life. With abundance and ready kindness not only do you bless others you bless. Yourselves. Wikipedia is right your. Your neural receptors go wild in ecstasy. Kindness. Shared and received energizes and enlarges you. Envy. Drinks. And poisons. Kindness spread blessing and light to the ends of the world. Aldous huxley. Had it right. After being concerned with the human problem my whole life. I'm embarrassed to say that i have only one thing to do. Try. A little kind. I send you on your way this week with the words of emily green.. Let us strive to learn to live together. Let us be patient with one another. And even patience. With ourselves. We have a long long way to go. So let us hasten along the road the road of human tenderness. And generosity. Groping. We may find one another's hands. In the dark. Go with.

uufvb_org

2013Aug11Sermon32.mp3

Here in the warmest part of our summer. Universal television. We are termination of open-minded and helping hands.. You're welcome.. Whether you are young or old. Straight black or white or some other wonderful shaded vanity. Whether you're feeling on top of the world this morning or down in the dumps or somewhere between know that we melted. In all of your favorite celebrity in need. We hope you will find our services morning meaningful and virginia find something here this morning. Take with you that will learn your spirit and feed your soul and give you renewed purpose android in little life pet. So this morning i continue my 07. Moment. Democratic process applications in society. Remind me with the sermon series. Seven principles displayed in the main wall of our lobby because our building. Thousands of people who are not unitarian universalist. Positive reaction always pleases us. But there is also a problem.. Immediate positive reaction. Problems are worded i rather feel grand and glowing eyes realistic kind of hard to disagree with. Texas warnings president. American roc. And following the dictates of your own conscience. Empower retirement. Sweeping seven principles. Laura forecast of the seven dwarfs. What are the seven main elements. Ron is in our lab for quantity in bolivia. Call me right. Secular secular values of american liberalism unitarian universalism a religion. Least not with anyone with a clear and compelling spiritual path. Or lasting. Apparently do not share reverend lawrence live at categorical dismissal of our 7 physical. I do think he's put his finger squarely on a problem with all 7. Each of our seven principles. The needs to be constructed correctly. I will be critical reflecting on these expensive at circle and firming their obvious wisdom and valuable school naming the ways in which they live and excessively. Serious collision on sirius x. Introduction western to this good person. Last revised in the 70s. This is a principle that states. Establishes that there is arrival to stand by yourself. The focuses on honore and perspectives interrogative. Omni. But then it goes on. A democratic society. Which is an obligation like us. Freedom of the individual. The focus on the decision-making process. Rent-a-center play artist tension. Please just know. The despicable focuses.. As i observed in my last two installments of the sermon series. 4 + 5. Are the process principles of unitarian universalism. 6767. Decided. In our operational. And then the 5th principal of arsenal clearly says. Did you use will go about their religion. Democratic. This is a very important also burning. In addition to being a process or how to principal. This principle of ours is i think perhaps more than any other single frizzable. Depended on all of the other six principal. Because we value the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Stephen curry. Connectedness of the world. Supporting democratic process and respect for the individual american. Indeed the reverend doctor forest church the longtime minister of all souls church in manhattan. An american states condition. Universalism. The quintessential american religion. Are you from the same sources. As the declaration of independence. It is important for the american creed. A biography of the declaration of independence. Captures the essence of the american experiment. The what is the american creed for intertrigo fear they are. Justice for all. Is liberty. Mariah. Sure said that the screen is simply called our founders album self-evident. Justice for all in liberty. As i trust you can clearly see this just unitarian universalist principles are. Play some jokes philosophically directly within the ideal. The american experience american republic. For in our congregation this principle declare. Always. Reservoir. In all matters religious. Authority says or believe. And yes we will also trusted under the democratic process. As we strive to lakewood and jasmine reasonable and equitable decision. No i guess who's that for. Rock unitarian universalist commitment individual. A democratic. American religion. Democracy and free speech are at least of their congregation and denomination. Not necessarily.. American religious even come close to operate on democratic. Hierarchical and autocratic. Indeed lyrics especially the more orthodox. Explicitly. They are not to the people decide. But unitarian-universalism democratic american spacing. 941 publicly proclaim. Ancient native american sing. Unitarian universalism you have that money. It's all by itself. Play the democratic debate. Value equity and liberty of every individual. Azul. I will assume that you are comfortable.. The ideals of democracy. If that's a snack. But i want to tell you as someone who's been a minister in this faith condition. 40 years. I will celebrate the 40th anniversary of my ordination next april. I must tell you that this fifth principle with its inherent. Both patients and society at large. Let me start first half of this principle / 3. As i've already observed because we believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Our first principle here again we arrived a connection between exquisite. We have courses promised to give each individual one of our congregation. The right to follow the dictates. Reason and conscience would come. But sometimes in our route. This is daniel qualify sick today mysteriously interview me. Either a local congregation or denominations headquarters. Eeyore do anything if it is much as a single uur group with dinner. However small disagrees that was the argument. That's mysterious. Answered. And for as long as i can remember in phenomenal. Democratic process. After initially is discussed and decided. He was always vulnerable in our condition to being stubborn or at least brought to a madman crawl i never cry. Very local nationwide proof of you using carbureted this principle about the right of conscience. They called themselves the right of conscious community. Unitarian universalism. Conservative. Timothy objective. Various social justice club. Farmworker justice and universal healthcare. Even though. Taking directions on use issues. Resolution in the denomination with the democratically decided that the people of our movement decided. Despite the fact that the democratically from a democratic party to general assembly. This did not stop trying to take away social justice voice of the denomination. They wrap themselves with ricin. Operational headquarters political economic or social standing. Even when they are following taken on the issue by the general assembly. Over recent decades the membership of our moon. After careful consideration. Total rejection. American flag. I am done. Cases no matter how. Is the way she would support a prison. Universal station is not. Washington state capital. Urban series is coming out of the bottom of butter. Sister floral and ethical dilemmas of american life. Take a look it's definitely climbing punishment universal healthcare. Abortion. Following saturday. Lingering warm lemon. Domination text and i personally x selling for. Conversation. As it pertains i think how was your understanding. Is the fact that just because we promised everything is here she will have the right of conscious. Does not. The denver uuism and that everyday. Leaving the right. Also believe because of our democratic process. The disagree individual bexley abide with the majority decision that arrive on the democratic process. It shouldn't. Justice canada every time your government doesn't do something like that you don't like. Sadly over my laundry right watch to get it again. Put your big boy pants on. I have watch local news on vacation. Or addresses racism oregon. I have watched our nation's be immobilized by minority group unwilling or unable to set aside their own conclusions even when the wheels. As long as the size the right of individuals. Things to themselves and because you was trying to tell you getting along in harmony. Consensus inclusion inclusion in our congregation. We are sometimes overlooked. Very small group. Sabotage democratic process did arthur. Super bowl. Call this allowing the tyranny of minority. Can you use. I remember all too well i was calling to see your minister of the river road bethesda maryland from 15 years ago it was painfully clear we were. We needed a big building addition to accommodate the rapidly expanding membership and pleasant. General board of trustees and i began working towards bringing trailers. I thought about you. The reason. Was it a small group the spiritual the sensors in the car that you do more than 30 or 40 people out of 700. Space. A project. Evergreen. Using the open respectful democratic that followed roblox. What time is graduation. And he was always the smartest guy in the world. Once he was a mechanic and argument. And the committee of 12 people after years of russell chemical the different building. And i said you're right it is the one. People are making it. We're going to build. He was always never reset desire. It's the weekend. Behavior. Unitarian universalist. Power just had. Unfortunately their first building. Weird. Is at the citrus boulevard and noble and francesca americanism dual focus on individual liberty and democratic process. Having the freedom to follow your unconscious and conclusion to your own religious life is a precious thing as the x strain or form in the conclusion of the whole community. And yes of course the democratic process should always be used in a local termination or society at large. Nananana fairway ford. Seems to me that we always in our congregation. And the common could and the majority will. Again. Anytime. Morally and otherwise. But it doesn't need a little honda and drive to toronto. I remain loyal opposition. This is why. Some people sometimes just getting the decision out of the group of military universal. If we do this principle versus principal. Of the rights of conscience in english. Claim this pitch perfect. W trustmont honor the process of group consensus. We are a quintessential american satan. Liberty and justice and equality fairplay for all. It is a tricky thing. Navigate. Just as our success as a nation. Bouncing. And both sign. American.

uufvb_org

19Jul2009sermon128kbs.mp3

uufvb_org

2012Jul15Sermon128.mp3

When the people came to this world. The fourth world. They came because they wish to start anew. Uc mini had forgotten the words a spider grandmother when she brought them to the third world which. Paula the sun spirit. Had created for them out of endless space. They had forgotten that paula had transformed them from beast. The humans. The spider grandmother had charge them to live. To live in harmony and to forget evil some in their arrogance even came to believe that they had created themselves. Sorcerers work they're tricking magic creating dissension. The kivas became gambling houses children wandered in the street dirty and unfed. Those who held them to the right ways. Who had forgotten tawa. For deeply. Trouble. These who had not forgotten what tala said came together and they decided. What they might need to do. The spider grandmother came to them while they met. She brought a message from tower she said you must prepare to leave this place. Defined another far from these evil ones. The people were further trouble that this i did not know where to go. Some of the elders had heard footsteps in the sky they decided to investigate so they made a bird. Out of clay and they sang the bird to life. Sending it flying up. Up to the top of the sky to the sip of puni the opening. In the place above. It's ruler and only inhabitant misses tsavo. Spirit of death and owner of fire heard the message this bird carried and gave permission for those below. Whoever did desire to come and live in the upper world. So the people made plans to depart they did not know how they would reach the doorway in the sky. Spider grandmother and her twin grandsons the warrior gods came to help. Chipmunk. Planted a bamboo stalk that the people sing to the top of the sky as they climbed this long stock. They emerged through the sip of puni into the new world. Mockingbird assigned each a tribe and the language. And since each group in a different direction. So came the people to the fourth world according to hopi language. They came still charged with their original purpose to forget evil and avoid injuring others. To live in harmony. And to ponder the meaning of things even today each of their kiva's the gathering place for religious ceremonies. And home of the katina society. Still there's an indentation in the floor. Physical reminder of the original. Cipa puni. Or the opening place. In the sky. This is from the. People of the pueblo lose its are pueblos it's in the woven spirit of the. You know what you and i cannot climb out of an opening in the sky to escape from a world of disorder. Of war. A relationship fraught with fear and mistrust the reality is this. If we want. A better world a new world a beloved community we have to create it. Today. What are the first things we have to do is to acknowledge that it maybe it's fear that's keeping us. From moving in the direction. Of peace. The greater good. At blessed community. Fear. After this realization we must work like a heron in a hurricane. I keep a steady grip. On our dream or a vision of a new better world. Fear. 50. That lurks in the darkness and it doesn't depart even when the lights are on this thief wait to destroy our hope for harmony and peace. We shiver. With fear and dare not move lest we get beaten down by. So why do we fear. There's so many cliche dancers we're afraid of our shadows. We are faded people who are different than we are we fear rejection. We fear fear itself roosevelt. We're afraid of god we're afraid there's no god we're afraid of failure. We're even afraid of our own power. If you might recall nelson mandela said the words of marianne williamson is not the darkness we fear. But our like our ability to be powerful beyond measure. Well all these fears may indeed be true. Don miguel ruiz. Who passed a weekend passed away this spring. He wrote the miniseries and books on toltec wisdom. Including one titled the four agreements. And he promoted the idea that what we really fear. Is imperfection. Imperfection in. Others and in ourselves. Our image of. Perfection is the reason we reject ourselves it is why we don't accept ourselves the way we are and why we don't accept others the way they are. Because we have been born into a belief system that existed before we arrived we kind of buy into this system but we never had the opportunity. Choose. What to believe or what not to believe. Even when we grow into adulthood and decide to ditch the ideas. We were raised to accept. We still carry remnants of those beliefs and then suffer. Some of us more so than others. Some guilt you're no longer green to accept what we were taught when we were young. Therefore. Many of us walk around with his muddled conversations in her head over what we've deliberately chosen to believe as adults and what we were taught to believe as children. Since we were raised in a system of reward and punishment we have acted accordingly. We have added a layer. Called monkey chatter. It's sometimes called monkey cheddar and this monkey cheddar is keeping us from. A peaceful exist. Anisocytosis we behave in a manner that keeps us law-abiding so we won't be punished. Just as the government has a book of laws that rule our society stream our personal belief system. Rules our dreams. All of these laws exist in our mind. And we believe them. And the judge inside a space is everything on these rules said miguel ruiz. Even if the rules constructed in our society or our own personal beliefs. Are wrong we often experience a sense of shame or guilt or fear of punishment if we do not follow them. So all this mental strife. Referred to by the toltecs very ancient old society it was referred to as mitote. Or mind fog. It's present at a conscious and an unconscious level create distress. And disease. So i think this word is helpful mitote when people are coming at you. Asking you questions and you need a moment to think about what you truly believe or how are you going to answer you say excuse me it's very enticing a little mitote. Mindful. Red stripes you are mine. Is a dream where 1,000 people talk at once. Nobody understands each other. Everything you believe about yourself and about the world. All the concepts in the programming you have in your mind. They're all mitote. This muddled mess of feelings and notions fees are just content like. Unwanted ivy wrapping itself around a perfectly healthy. Tree seedling. I'm choking it. Out of life itself. Our dream of peace. Is threatened by a creeping killer. Called in perfection. So what hinders this growth of peace and love and harmony. It's this endless cycle of suffering tied to awkward thought patterns that have been influenced by our attitudes are behaviors and even our upbringing. Faith traditions throughout the world have offered helpful guidelines. For living and for promoting ethical conduct in the public. Example we have the ten commandments in christianity. The eightfold path in buddhism. The five pillars of islam and even the seven principles of unitarian universalism they're all important to study. And to follow what if there are instances. When. Because we are human we do not follow the precepts we've adopted how do we update the anxiety associated with the guilt and the shame for our tendency sometimes to be merely human. To be merely human means to fail to beeper. According to the buddha the human mind quote in its normal stage generate dhaka. Which can be translated as suffering. And in christian teachings sin. Is the word but it's kind of missing the mark or this kind of dysfunction. It is interesting to note. That sin literally in the ancient greek meaning just means missing the mark. Missing the point. It means to live on skillfully blindly maybe and dust to suffer and cause suffering okay so how do we turn off. All the racing should have. Better company missing the mark. Failing to be perfect. How do we recommit ourselves. 2. A renewed life of ethical living. Spiritual balance. And ultimately a renewed commitment to creating keys. Within ourselves. Within our relationships in our community in our country. In our world. Well we have to continue studying the teachings were offered by our religious traditions in addition we can carry. Four agreements with us. These came from ancient mexico i consider them cliff notes. Or the essential bare-bones easy-to-remember rules. For maintaining peace. Within and with others don miguel ruiz was well-respected he still is even though he has passed in his in his life for his toltec wisdom not a lot has come out from that ear. We don't hear a lot about the native indigenous traditions in mexico and how they live well the toltec were men and women who were scientists and artists. And they gathered thousands of years ago as the ancient city of the pyramids located outside of mexico city now these toltec. Formed a society to explore and conserve the spiritual knowledge and practices. Of the ancient. These ancient ones were. People also known as. The nodwell p. Term nodwell is from the nevada language derived from early mexican language it was spoken by the people now regarded as the aztecs. And their predecessors the kahlua the tectonic the alcoa and then the toltecs and aztec mythology. I know ava was a telltale mcspirit. Present in the shape of an animal or a planet. Every god and shuman had his personal nodwell. Who. He shared his faith until death. So the term was used maybe some of you remember this. Carlos castaneda and his books that he used to describe the person who was able to lead people to new areas of perception. Currently the term knockwell is being used to describe a shaman. Or one who follow the path of knowledge. Such as. The toltec path. For miguel ruiz's. Okay so here's the meat of what i'm trying to say to you according to ruelas and others who have carried on the wisdom of an earth tradition. Entities contemporary times. He said there were four key agreements available for assisting developing. A more peaceful existence. Now want to reiterate. That these came a good shamans ability. A true shaman disabilities take ancient wisdom and she shared with us and contemporary. Method and language that's what you're receiving today who has this power within the simplicity of this message. And it's follow these four agreements. If we choose we can choose to adopt. Will assist in the making of a more peaceful. World. The first one. Be impeccable with your word. Be impeccable with your word. I had this idea when i was little bit what if because i felt like people were wasting their words i thought what if we were all born. With so many words. And when you use the mop you couldn't talk anymore. How many people would still be talking. By the time they're 40. Be impeccable with your word that means following through with your convictions if you cannot follow through don't say it. Let's have lunch don't say that unless you mean to have lunch. It's about being accountable. It's about follow through and with that follow through your building trust. The word is a force who has said it is the power you have to express and communicate to think and thereby to create the events of your life. It is a tool of magic. The impeccable. With your word now words can be used to build up. Or to destroy. To destroy the lives of others. How can one person change events by their words. Let me just say the word hitler. Now consider jesus. And buddha. Mother teresa. Consider martin luther king jr.. The word impeccable. Encourages us to speak. From a place of love. Rather than from a place. Fl will if you choose to come from a place of love and agreed to maine to stay in that place any negativity that comes in your direction. Well bounce off of. You have to work hard. Colette. Any words. Have negative consequence bounce-off. You may find yourself amongst a thousand people who have chosen to live in hell hell on earth. By adopting negative words and intent however. Through your agreement to remain impeccable. With what you say. You will be closer to finding a place. Peace. Because you can fully trust. Yourself. The second one don't take things personally. Don't take things personally whatever anyone says to you don't think that he or she is speaking about you. The person is speaking from his or her own place of pain. If it is a hurtful comment. Islamic place of pain. Even if it's an appreciation or compliments. Consider that it might be that they like your blouse. Maybe they would love to have a blouse like that or maybe they want to compliment you because they want to give you something and then that way sometimes we might expect it okay q. That makes us feel better so. Everything. Everything that is said don't take it personal. Nothing other people do is because of you. All people live in their own dream in their own mind they are in a completely different world. From the one we live in when we take something personally we make the assumption that they know what is in our world. And we try to impose our world onto them. Then i'm going to bring up this one about traffic. How many times i've been in the car with somebody who says. He cut me off you just didn't want me to get ahead. You don't know that. But don't take it personally. Right watch what you say in traffic. It's not about you. The third one don't make assumptions. We have a tendency to make assumptions about every. The problem with making assumptions is that we believe they're the truth. We could swear they are real we take it personally and then we blame them. And react by sending emotional poison with our word. Assumption status up for suffering. We don't ask questions for clarification we start gossiping. About our assumptions and we start to believe our assumptions when in reality we cannot possibly. Be entirely sure of another person's thoughts or actions. Buddhism promotes the idea of non-attachment. It is about refusing to allow your mind to become attached to the behavior. Outcomes especially. To remain focused on keeping your word trust in your ability to remain unattached. To what others say and do is to keep a real healthy equilibrium. Avoid assumptions don't fall into the narcissistic trap of plains negative ideas. Imagine. The opinions of others both good and bad imagine that their leaves. On a river floating in front of you. You you see then you would knowledge them and then let them go. Both good and bad. Have gratitude but let them go. See them. Let them go out of sight. For always do your best. Always do your best and this is what's important understand about your best. It will not always be the same. Your best today may be different than your best 10 years ago. Your best today may be different than 10 years ahead of you. Always do your best. Everything is alive and changing all the time. So your best will sometimes be of high quality. Other times not as good remember this remains true. Oh here me on this. Remember this is true for other people. Their best one day. May not have been their best. And years ago. How many times could i say this to. People who have been divorced. Forgotten out of relationships while we hang onto things that we assumed and that we remember but we have to say truly is. That was the best he or she could do. That was it. Doing your best. Is to do as well as you can with what is available to you and seek to enjoy the doing. The action rather than praise the reward or the final outcome. Here is another quote action about living fully in action is the way that we deny life in action is sitting in front of the television everyday for years. Because you're afraid to be alive into risk. Expressing who you are. And i will add the inaction keeps you from being deeply connected to other so you know. Because we're worried about being hurt. Or having people avoid us. Or reject us. We kind of decide what will step aside i'm asking you to take these four agreements and participate in life. Participate in relationships. But hang on to these four ways of thinking that really can help you. To keep you from getting off-kilter. Hang on to this final agreement. Always do your best when you're unable to keep any of the above agreements be kind to yourself. Allow this internal judge to speak to you once and i'm talking about that area of forgiveness. Experience the guilt and the shame if you've done something that you wish you hadn't forgive yourself and then. Understand that life has a past. A present and future. Hanging onto the wrong the mistakes that you made in the past or that others have made. Foster's self-projection. Incel. Abuse which inhibits growth. Will inhibit growth and it will inhibit your ability to love to love yourself and to love others if you cannot forgive yourself. Then love yourself. Again you cannot love other. The four agreements i have lifted for consideration require work. And persistent attention but they're not impossible to achieve. To become aware of the times when we have the opportunity. To be impeccable. With your word. Look for those opportunities i can do this i'll say this and i can do this. If you are getting ready to say it and you thinking stop. I don't i really can't follow through with. Don't say it. Avoid taking things personally. Thank you very much this is the nice road. Yes thank you let it go not about me in this robe it's about what somebody else is saying. Thank you if somebody says your hair is not looking so great. Don't lash out. Say that's interesting that you noticed me and let it go. Mahec do abstain from making assumptions. Don't assume because somebody didn't invite you. Cuz some party or something that is something you've done wrong stop the assumptions. If you're not sure ask. Be brave. Strive to do your best. Always. And then look back and you think that was the best i could do with the time and let it go. You know what to do all this. It's like a fixing a ladder to a burning building. We can stay on the ground and go oh look at that awful burning building. Oh too bad the world isn't a nasty state affairs we can grab a ladder. And a water hose. And with our actions we can assist others to a place of safety and security. Of love and peaceful coexistence that is fueled by the desire to make. Heaven on earth. Rather than to fan the flames of fear and violence and mistrust. These are all elements. That impede the presence of peace. So. Go in peace. Quite literally. Blessed.

uufvb_org

2012Nov18Sermon128.mp3

Well good morning. On this sunday before thanksgiving i know some of you were traveling others of you will sit tight. And i would remind you that if you'd like to join a group here at the fellowship. Sign up for that today on the rolling cart. It'll be a for thanksgiving dinner traditional thanksgiving dinner. This week. And we're glad you're all here with us this morning. To the unit at the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach please know that you are welcome. Just as you come to us this morning. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight black or white or some. Other wonderful shade of humanity whether you are feeling on top of the world this morning. Or kind of down in the dumps or somewhere in between know that you are welcome just as you come to us. In all of your particularity and need. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. You will find something here this morning to take with you that will make. The living of the days i had more joyful and more purposeful. For the sun and the dawn we did not create. For the moon and the evening which we did not make. For food which we plant but cannot grow. For friends and loved ones we have not earned and cannot buy. For all things would come to us as gifts of being from sources beyond ourselves gifts. Of life and love and friendship we lift. Up our hearts. And give thanks this day. Thanks to all of you. My message today in the sermon. Is the thing. Giving happens not. In spite of. Adversity. Because of it. This tuesday i believe it was when your times there was an obituary of a poet named jack gilbert. Come i have never heard of. This poem was in the obituary. I was overwhelmed by this poem it's a little tough. But i urge you to treat this as your thanksgiving meditation. And to enjoy. The silence that will follow i will end the silence with a. Jack gilbert poem. Sorrow everywhere. Slaughter. Everywhere. If babies are not starving someplace. They are starving somewhere else. With flies. In their nostrils. But we enjoy our lives. Because that's what god wants. Otherwise the mornings before summer dawn would not be made so fine the bengal tiger would not be fashion so miraculously well. The poor women at the fountain are laughing together between the suffering they have known and the awfulness. In their future. Smiling and laughing. With while somebody in the village. Is very sick. There is laughter everyday in the terrible streets of cow. And the women laugh in the cages of bombay. If we deny our happiness. If we resist our satisfaction. We lesson. The importance. A verdi opera. This morning. Just days before our festive. National thanksgiving holiday which i hope incidentally all of you or recklessly enjoy with whatever family and friends. Can gather. Around you. I want to offer a sermon on logical spiritual theme of the week. That is the idea of grey. Let me begin them by letting the spiritual cat right out of the bag i am passionately persuaded. And you've heard me say this before. The gratitude. Basic. An ostentatious heartfelt gratitude. Just for the gift of life. Is one of the most important possessions a human being can. Without a lively sense of gratitude for the miracle of finding yourself alive in this world. Without a simple heartfelt sense of how lucky you are to have a chance to hang around. In this amazing yet. Difficult creation of ours. Without gratitude we eventually lose energy and perspective. That is required. To living a joyful and full and responsible life a grateful heart. Simply put is a spiritual engine for life. Well and passionately lived it is that simple. What is not simple however is freaking out where this kind of. Life-enhancing life-saving gratitude come from comes from. And just how we as individuals can possess it in our daily lives. Through thick and thin. First let me tell you. Where i am certain life-saving gratitude for living does not come it does not arrive. From as a natural byproduct from pleasant. Affluent. Or comfortable external surface. In fact recent sociological studies on the contentment in life reveal. That satisfaction does not as one might logically think correlate. With wealth. Possessions privilege comfort effortless living luck even good health it does not correlate with any of those things did you know that. This undoubtedly is bad news for america's 1% of affluence. For the truth is that richton privileged and downright lucky folks are no more likely be happy than anyone else. A personal point one of my uncles and my mother's side he shall go unnamed he's long dead. He was a wealthy successful highly. Admired man in a great big obituary in new york times in the baltimore sun in the washington post. He lived a life. Ring. In comfort and opportunity and charm yet he was as they say. Survey after survey confirms it. The external trappings of an easy life have nothing to do with how grateful or happy or. If you doubt this. Just look at the american people. World by almost any standard most americans living here in these first years of the second millennium. Have more to be objectively grateful.for than the overwhelming majority of human beings like those women in the cages of bombay. Could ever dream. Although things have gotten somewhat economically tougher for many americans over the last couple of years. Our national standard of living is comfortable and we have a high quality. Even the relatively a steer. Our food our housing our schools are environment our transportation entertainment. Is a welding human head. Are you all know this. You all know or should. That the overwhelming majority of people living on this planet would swap their standard of living with anyone in this room. In a heartbeat. Recently an evening news ahsan absolutely heart-wrenching story about the thousands of people. Who spent 12 hours a day scouring the reeking garbage dumps. Of malaysia. So that they do not starve to death. As an american i find this image. People pick. Garbage. For 12 hours a day. To be virtually. So you think that finding ourselves in the midst of so much unearned bounty. Beauty and blessing. That we americans would be the most grateful appreciative and satisfied people on the place. On the planet but this. You all know is not true. Just listen to the talk tone and tenor of the folks around you. On a daily basis here on the treasure coast. Americans profoundly blessed and privileged as we are love to complain we are as one author noted a culture of complaint. We cultivate our complaints about almost everything. As a foolish habit of the heart americans love to wine. About all the ways in which life does not singularly and systematically devote itself. To our own personal immediate needs i had a colleague in boston when i was at the un headquarters. Gentlemen's notepads with messages i didn't the whole pad. Would you like some cheese with that whine. The words of my colleague l perry he was an old can of a farmer. Minister up in pittsfield maine he wrote this one thanksgiving. About americans. In the fall we complain about the cold and all those leaves to rake. In the winter we complain about all the ice in the snow in the spring we complain about all the mud in the rain in summer we complain about the mosquitoes on the heat but in what season. Do we rejoice and give thanks that this earth. Seems possessed just the right climate. To permit the existence of life. And oh yes. Maybe we americans have had so much in so many ways for so long that we've lost all perspective on how truly blessed and lucky we are. At the most elemental levels of our living maybe our abundance the sheer volume of our wealth and prosperity and comfort. With the we've grown accustomed to has blinded us to the sheer wonder. And simple privilege. Avital. It almost seems like the more we have the less satisfied we become. You know don't text me i can't give up any of my. It seems. Like the more we consume and demand the less our appetites can ever be satisfied. I have i hate to say it but spiritually. We americans are like a bunch of spoiled teenagers half the time. The more were given the less satisfied we become. Gratitude simple heartfelt gratitude for simple everyday blessing of being around. Seems radically disconnected from the outward trappings of our privilege. It is counterintuitive. But maybe if we americans had to live with far less maybe if we had a harder time with the outward demands of life and had to struggle a lot more. Maybe we'd be more appreciative. For the basic blessing of our lives maybe. Perhaps gratitude. Deep into steering sincere and sustaining requires. Personal awareness. Of life's deprivation and scarcity. To take full wise. Mature hole. In our spiritual lives. Tell you to. About life-saving gratitude found. In the midst not of these. But in deprivation and. There is a lesson for. You're the first claudia has already alluded. The time for all ages. The story of the first american thanksgiving. When in the autumn of 1821 the pilgrims settlers. Share the feast with their kind. Native american neighbors. No it's your like me when you visualize this event in your mind's eye you imagine a pretty pleasant. And peaceable scene. Like the one claudia did. Of this and like this nineteenth-century painting of the same event this is the kind of image. We have. Of that. What i was a schoolboy in wisconsin anyway that's what i believe happened. Well-dressed pilgrims. And proud wampanoag indians gathered under bright at humble trees. Sharing tables overflowing with plenteous bounty of the harvest. Enjoying a carefree day they i imagined it as a boy. Companionship and feasting this is the cheerful myth. But has grown up around that for. Thanksgiving but. As claudia said. The reality was fired if. And far more pain. The only accurate element of the sanitized thanksgiving story you and i got in kids is a genuine apparently. Friendship and goodwill that existed between the pilgrims and the wampanoag. In that fall of 80. 21 the rest. The true story is filled with tragedy and. The historians among you know how truly rough this story is. On november 20th 1820 the little ship mayflower. What did i say. 016 how can i make that mistake. It's printed here right. 1620 fellowship mayflower landed not in plymouth but i'm cape cod. With 100 men and women and children who would venture to the new world to died on the crossing. Disappointed to discover they were 300 miles north of a more temperate virginia where they were headed. After a few weeks of trying to scratch out a living on the expose spit of land. On what is now provincetown massachusetts not a good. Spend the winter. The winds and no protection of trees. The settlers sailed across the bay right across the bay. To the richly forested and somewhat protected mainland in plymouth. Where they hope to find food and safety to ride out their first winter. Which by november in those days was already underway.. Snow on the ground. The next few months weird. To prove nightmare. The winter was snowy and cold and harsh. And they're hastily construction elders, put on many of them stayed on the ship but they started to build these kinds of structures. And i couldn't find out how many they were able to build. The first winner probably only one or two. The pilgrims. Survived. On small portions of salt beef and hardtack leftover from the sea voyage. And they'd all developed scurvy. Cuz no fruits or. Available. Almost all the pilgrims fell sick. Fully half of the. 50 men women and children. Died. Horrible deaths. Before spring. William bradford one of the pilgrim leaders told the terrible tale in his diary in old english. So they died sometimes two or three a day he wrote and of 107. Scarce 50 remained. All of these the governor said. In the time of most distress there were about six or seven sound persons. Hoot other great commendations to be spoken spared no pains night or day. With abundance of toil. And hazard of their own health. Them would. Excuse me made them fires dressed their meat washed their load some clothes. Clothed and unclothed them in a word did all the homely and necessary offices for them. Which stadium and queasy stomach. Cannot name. Historical record clearly shows that without the help of the local local wampanoag indians. Who generously shared some food with the pilgrims that went. And as claudia shear. Show them how to plant and cultivate native corn. Next spring and summer the colony would without the indians have been wiped out. By starvation. And disease luckily for the 50 pilgrim survivors. The first summer was a warm and generous one. The fall harvest was so good that by late november as bradford put it they were safely gathered in. Are the winter storms. Begin. And here is the part of the story. The spiritually stuns and inspires. In spite of all the many hardships and horrors that had endured that first year and then. Despite the incredible grief. The every family. Who took that journey and every person who took that jeremy had suffered. The survivors decided not to feel sorry for. But to mark their good fortune. To express their gratitude yes to god. And to reach out to their neighbors in. True respect. Friendship no no one would have blamed. Have they. On the first anniversary of their arrival he decided. To hold a morning. Service of mourning and grief. Rather than a noisy feast of celebration. They could have withdrawn morosely into the gathering of total darkness. And been swallowed by their enveloping sadness but instead these. Hardy pilgrims put on monday fees. Read it. Blowout. A food and festivities. No turkey. Incidentally in spite of the fact that there were turkey in england at that time. The feast was lobster. And quail. A native fruits and. And for themselves and their indian friends. Cheap. Chief message mess up massasoit and 90 other weapons. Again bradford's account. Are harvestmen got nim. Our governor sent for men outside. So we might. After amor special manor rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. And although it may not always be so. Plentiful as it was this time with us. Yep by the goodness of god. We are so far from what. That we often wish others. Partake of our plan. It seems to me what makes the real thanksgiving story so remarkable and meaningful is not so much. Easy draw and plenty. What's the indians and the pilgrims. Apparently shared with each other. Over those three days. But rather. The painful backdrop. Of the very real loss and grief. A misery. Which the pilgrims. Spiritually. Did not allow to block. Gratitude. Somehow in the face of this profound deprivation and lost. Those pilgrims were able to choose gratitude over bitterness. Generosity over greed. Thanksgiving over self-pity. The miracle. Thanksgiving soren kierkegaard. The existential. Once observed. It takes real courage to grieve. But it takes. Religious car. To rejoice. I've known other. Pilgrims. Of the heart in my life. That's why i ride with my. Second story. Brave people. 12 olson chosen gratitude. And happiness over grief. Grudge. In the face. Profound. People who have taught me. In my rather charmed. Easy life. How to live gracefully. With a simple appreciation. For the simple. Lovelife. Want to tell you about one of these pilgrims of heart. A dear colleague of mine. With whom i work. 12 years. Her name is the reverend ginger luke. And i went online and got a picture of her. There she is. She's the minister of congregational life at the river road unitarian universalist congregation. In bethesda maryland which i left almost 3 years ago now too. With you. And she was my clothes colligan ministry for. Tire 12-year time. That i served as senior. But laid in my tenure there just before i move down here. Ginger got the most horrible news any parent can get. Her only child catherine. A vibrant thirty-two-year-old wife and mother of. You darling little children. I would just graduated from the university of michigan with a doctorate. And was ready to begin her very complicated career and they. She had studied. Was unexpectedly diagnosed in a routine medical check-up. With an aggressive form of breast cancer. Another day the diagnosis came in in the office all of us. Shared gingers home. The cancer would be treatable. And that under even the worst circle. Her daughter katherine would have a shot. That many years. Of life. But to everyone's complete shock most especially her doctors at the university of michigan hospital. Katherine became gravely ill and almost immediately died. 6 days. Or she died she was in our church ushering her little children around like any other person. + 6. Later she was. As you can imagine ginger was just devastated by this sudden. Horrible inexplicable loss. In the current gation we gave her three four months. Go to michigan. Take care of mike. Her daughter's husband. Two children. My point of telling this terrible story. Noah. Hunu ginger. Would have blamed her head she in one way or another emotionally or spiritually folded her tent. And begrudged life for this terrible and unjust twist of fate as some people. Hoodoo is a daughter or a child or a husband. But ginger. Is a pilgrim of the heart she is a resilient. Ungrateful. Soul. She had a pilgrim heart. But in the face of this unfathomable tragedy. Refuse to give into grief or bitterness. A pilgrim heart that knew how to get through that first winter. That had descended suddenly around her. Chicho's. To move toward a renewing spring. Gratitude. Hope and love. Listen to this poem. By ellen bass. The thing is. To love life. To love it even when you have no stomach for it. And everything you have held dear crumbles like burnt paper in your hands. Your throat filled with the silt of it. When grief sits with you. It's tropical heat. Thickening the air heavy is water more fit for gills. The lungs when grief. Wait when when when grief weights you down like your own flesh only more of it. And obesity of grief. You think. How long can a body withstand this. Then you hold life. Like a face between your pulse. A plain face. No charming smile. No violet eyes and you say yes. Yeah i will take you. I will love you again. The months that followed catherines. Explicable early death. Terrible hard one. But i must tell you that like those brave surviving pilgrims. She had the spiritual strength. Quickly reimagine. And reconstitute her life. And again. So yesterday. So what is my message to you this sunday before thanksgiving. In the year of our lord 2012. It is a message no one should show. For can only enter the human heart. Quietly. And it is simply. We are all pilled. On a perilous journey. Cannot. And will not promises. An easy life. Without. Stream pay. All of us. Suffering. And sorrow. Lost. No one shall escape. But i am persuaded. But the spiritual possession that will see us through the hard passages and bitter winter. Is simply a grateful heart. A brave and resilient heart. That is willing. To reimagine life. And turn toward the sun. And see what is still good. And still possible. So i pray that. Wherever you are next. Whether you with family and friends many miles from here. Or close to home by yourself. What was loved ones. May you be able to find on your lips and in your heart's a simple word of thing. For the life. You have. The imperfect. The life that sometimes. Has a bitter taste of silt. For it is ever and always as 12. Century christian mystic meister eckhart once. If the only prayer. You said in your whole life is thank you. That would suffice. Have a wonderful thanksgiving. And be of good. So when the season when we are encouraged to count our blessings let us give thanks. For storms. That acquaintance with the coziness of our hearts and homes. For misfortunes. Which reveal to us the loyalty of our friends. 4 problems. Which awakened our imaginations and call forth larger effort. For conflict. In which we may discover the healing power of love. Four defeats. Which make unavoidable acknowledgement of our human imperfection. Even for increasing years. And loss of strength. And all reminders of our mortality. Whereby we are reminded of just how fragile and precious. Is the gift of breath let us give thanks for all these things which we would not have wished. To happen. But without which. We will not have grown. Or discovered. Or loved. Or lyft. Blessings to all of you.

uufvb_org

2012Feb05Sermon128.mp3

In a week or so. It will be valentine's day. So what could be more time like than having a service devoted to the subject of love. Well this is a holiday of hallmark cards. Chocolate. And valentines. I think back. On the way we celebrated valentine's day when i was a child. I bet you can remember those days too. At school we cut out. Heart out of red paper they were always lopsided we could never get them quite right. With plastic scissors and we drew crooked arrows across them. For someone very special what members of our family we glued on a lacy white darling. And wrote i love you. My little girlfriends and i made and exchange valentines. And we competed to see. How many we could get. We all got the same number. Because we sent them to each other. And we didn't want to leave anyone out. Those were special years of innocence. And our understanding of love at that time at age seven or so. Was pretty much limited to valentine's and sharing them with one another. Of course we all got older. And our understanding of love and its many complexities. Expanded with our developing maturity. So the writers served as sermon on the subject of love even to look at a tiny aspect of it. Maybe a foolhardy venture. Recently within the past couple years i have heard the expression standing on the side of love used more and more frequently and unitarian-universalist circles. I don't know whether this is a new promotion by the uua. Or where else it might have come from. But surely love as a principle of unitarian theology is not new. Christian unitarians in europe in america. From the 15th. To the twentieth century believed in the unity of god. I'm a blessing of divine love. In our lives. And the humanists of the 20th century include love and service to others. As an ethical mandate of our faith. Similarly and universalist theology. The belief in god's universal love for all living creatures is foundational. And universalist are challenged to make manifest this commitment to love. And to serve humankind. But frankly. I don't know which standing on this side of love means. Either institutionally. Spoiled your nomination or to me personally. As a minister i think i should know this. Just in case someone comes up and expect me to explain it to them. How do i make this cliche real. Applicable and behavioral. How do i live and conduct my life. What would standing on the side of love look like. How would i know it. If i saw it. Is love something that has one side. Then i'm supposed to stand on the side of. Or does it have many sides. What happens if i don't want to stand at all. What happens if i just want to wallow around in the middle of it. If i can't answer these questions for myself. How can i recognize it in someone else. Will you see my problem. I wasn't getting anywhere with this. So we decided to look at its opposite. Maybe that would help me. I decided to look at hate. But seemed much easier to recognize. As it is obvious emotionally raw. Always hostile. And frightening. I am sure that each of us has felt the sting of dislike or hate directed at us at some point in our lives. Are we know it immediately. For what it is. If i can recognize define and feel hatred. What it is directed at me. Does that mean that love. Is everything else. But love is simply the absence of hatred. Or does love have its own integrity its own power. Can love be so strong. The even when there was an overwhelming provocation to hate. When's emotional needle does not swing over and stay stuck. In that red zone of hatred. Can love and the power of love. Notify hatred. The following story. Gave me a perspective. On this question. A few months ago my husband and i went to a lecture. Given by a young. New york times war correspondent. He had covered the news coming out of iraq. And afghanistan for the past 10 years. And in his last assignment. In afghanistan he was captured by the taliban. For 7 months david road his translator and his driver were held captive. I moved by night in the back of a truck. Two different remote villages in afghanistan. Finally they were moved out of the country entirely and into the inaccessible villages. In the tribal areas of pakistan. His captors demanded exorbitant ransom sums from the federal government. And from his family. The us government does not pay ransoms. And his family could not afford the 25 million dollars demanded for his release. When no ransom was forthcoming. His his captors. Tortured and threatened to kill him. He knew that is time went by and no ransom was received. But his high value as an american hostage would plummet. Is there was no chance of rescue. As no one knew where he was. He knew we had to escape. If you wanted to survive. One dark night. He and his translator. Did manage to escape. And they managed to get to a pakistani army garrison in the same town. However the soldiers would not open the gates and let them in. The tribal areas. Are so lawless. That the soldiers do not open the gates they do not leave the garrison themselves. For fear of being killed. They do not open the gates and let people in because they feel. That they would be suicide bombers. Finally the soldiers not knowing what to do. Call the garrison commander captain nadine. When he was told of the man outside he came down to see for himself. And he ordered the gates open. You rescued david and his translator. And you arranged for their safe transport by helicopter to kabul and then. To the united states. Why did captain nadine do that. He didn't know these two men. He didn't know that these men weren't assassins. I could have exploded a device inside the compound. Until them and the other soldiers. Didn't he know that if he turn them back to the taliban they would pay him a handsome reward. Did he even think about these things. We don't know if he thought along those lines. But it is doubtful. Because we open the gate almost without hesitation. One could speculate that is a practicing muslim. He was following the islamic. Principal. Hospitality. The offering of protection and shelter to those who come to one's home so you can help. But that explanation isn't enough. We don't know cartoon nadine. David does tell us something important about him. David asked him later why he had taken that huge risk to save them. Encryption nadine responded immediately. It's only natural he said. One man can see another man suffering. Yes captain nadine recognized a young frightened desperate man a foreigner. We could have walked away he could have kept the gate locked. He could have done nothing. Yes he's so another man suffering. But what was it about that that caused him to act. I'll get back to that. This story is frightening it is set against a backdrop of hatred cruelty. Destruction and death. It is totally foreign to anything we can possibly imagine facing in our own lives. We're both captain nadine and david road we're caught in exactly these circumstances. And these men were not unusual or unique in any way. We are not larger than life. They are not superman. They are ordinary people. Just like you. And just like me. There is nothing inherently heroic. About either one of them. And yet. In the most desperate moments of their lives. The acted heroically. With the utmost courage. When anyone else might have walked away. Might have saved himself. Captain nadeem. Didn't. He ignored his own safety and without hesitation he reached out. To help complete strangers. We don't know how he found the courage to act as he did. But we do know the captain nadine recognized. Someone suffering. How do we explain his actions. Somebody. Turn to religion. And say that even in this desperate. Terrible circumstances. The god was present. The lord is my shepherd i shall not want the samus. Charles r us. As the shepherd loves his flock. So too does god love us. And will not rest until he has made safe. Even one lost lamb. A mighty fortress is our god a bulwark never failing. Number 200. In our hymnal. Words by martin luther. These religious metaphors depict an all-powerful deity. Who will protect us from harm. The god whose limitless love work through and inspired the action. Of this muslim commander. I am sure david rhodes family said thank god they are safe. Thank god for captain nadine. For many. The only way to understand and come to terms with these frightening and horrifying events. Is in the context of a traditional faith. For others of us. We might seek a different spiritual understanding. We might say that the commander was a highly principled individual and acted in a way that was morally right. I think he certainly was. But the explanation again doesn't go far enough. We all know people who are religiously faithful. Morally upstanding and who live. Righteous and good live. We admire such people. And we can point to many of their works and good deeds. I standing on the side of love. And we would be right. The good deeds. Done by these individuals. Costume little. They don't have much of a price tag attached. It is not difficult for them to act as they do because they risk little to nothing. Of themselves in the process. They make no sacrifices in their own lives. They even make it praise for their efforts. In contrast captain nadine got nothing for his efforts. No financial reward no public acclaim nothing. And yet he risked everything. Without hesitation he put his life on the line. What. It wasn't until i heard a quotation. By the well-known educator parker palmer. That i began to understand. Parker palmer said very simply. Break your heart. Open. Break your heart. Open. We will like to think that we are sensitive to other people. And the world around us. And certainly we try to be. I also know. That i have and i'm sure you have ways of screening ourselves. Protecting ourselves emotionally from things that we fear might upset or hurt us. Sometimes we even turn away. Well it may be a natural reflex to do this. We live much more emotionally limited and circumscribe lives. When we break or heart open. We begin to experience life at a much deeper level of our being. In our heart of hearts. In the core of our being. In our soul. That's what happened to captain nadine. On seeing the escapees standing outside the fort. Captain lee dance heart was broken open. And he felt at the deepest level of his consciousness. Human connection. So strong pretty hot to act. He had to help. He had to save the ones who would otherwise die. He could do nothing else. He acted because he was bound to them by their common humanity. They were one. Their suffering was his suffering to. Probably. You're wondering if this point if i'm asking you to place yourself in a dangerous situation. To test your emotional response to these challenges. I'm not suggesting that. Lampson. The we share a strong connection. A common humanity with all other people. And by breaking her heart open by opening ourselves emotionally we will be able to relate to others at a more meaningful level. And we will be able to discover that the desires the needs the frailties the fears and the joys of other people. A remarkably. Like a run. Yes it does involve taking a chance. Allowing oneself to be vulnerable. Perhaps having one's feelings hurt. But it is something that we do every time we meet someone new. And we reach out to that stranger. With an overture of friendship. Right now for example in the fellowship. We are launching a large brand new program. This is our covenant group program. I'm more than 60 people have signed up to be a part of it. Each participant is being placed in a small group of six to eight. Some of the participants know each other. But some other members of the group under the fellowship. Anew to one another. One objective of the program is to develop meaningful relationships within the group. Through discussion and sharing of feelings. A second objective is to expand one's spiritual life. By probing the important religious and philosophical questions of our time. The goal is for members to form deep meaningful connections with one another. Connections which might not occur in other activities in our church life. In signing up for this program participants. Are taking a risk. They are being asked to emotionally open themselves. To what other members of the group are saying. And they're being asked to share their own feelings as well. Participants cannot play it safe by choosing their best friends. Who they already know and trust. To be in their group. Nor can they choose the people who they might want to get to know. Rather each participant gives up that control and is being placed in a particular group by the two group leaders. Yes it's a risk. That might not work out. But how big a risk is it after all. We all belong to the same fellowship. And we all share. Many of the same values. This is a safe environment. We can choose to break our our heart open here we can practice. Without danger to ourselves. That was not the case with captain nadine. Who's risk was enormous. But he was hoping emotionally and he could see their desperation. I'm suffering. Any actor to save the two men. He acted out of a deep well of sensitivity compassion. And selflessness. I had to contrast the hatred. Generated by a terrorist regime. With a seemingly puny efforts of one ordinary man. Trying to do the right thing. To see extreme examples. Of love in action. And the power of love to save. And the power of love over hatred. He chose love of his fellow man he chose compassion. He chose selflessness. I'm at love. Made all the difference. Hopefully. None of us will ever face circumstances as excruciating as those faced by these two people. But it is inevitable. There we will all face difficulty and losses in our lives. It's not so hard. I'll be loving when our lives are going well. And we're on top of the world. But how will we behave. How will we treat others. When the chips are down. And we are in the midst of adversity. Will unitarian-universalism and the principles of our faith. About the inherent worth and dignity. Be enough to sustain us. In those hard times. Or does it take much more than just giving lip service. To these principles. It takes a great deal more. Standing on the side of love is not a place. It is not a religious slogan. Nor is it a state of grace that we hope to achieve at some point in our lives. Standing on the side of love is based on two fundamental assumptions. The first is the realization. The we are connected. Not only to each other. But they're all other human beings. This was summed up in our opening words. Which said. By taking the time to look into one another's faces. And seeing their communion. The reflection of our own eyes. We are them and they are us. The second fundamental assumption. The wii. Need to recognize is that in our relationships each of us has the power to choose how we will treat other people. Weather for good. Or pharrell. When we choose to treat others inhumane ways that will be beneficial. That will enrich lives or do we act in ways that are self-serving. Alienating or even hostile. There were times when we might try to rationalize our behavior. Are less than stellar behavior perhaps. But we are still responsible for how we act. We choose how we respond to others. We never lose that power of choice. Rebecca parker who is the president of starr king theological school. States this very well. By saying quote. The purpose of our life is not our well-being in isolation from all others. Our well-being enters into the being of other beings. Adding a measure of health. Enjoy. Our actions matter to us. And they matter to the world. We live both for ourselves. And for one another. Unquote. So standing on the side of love. Comes down to a gritty little verb with a lot of muscle. It's the verb. To try. To try to open our hearts to others. To be the best that we can be in all our relationships. Not only with people that we already know and love. But with the stranger. When we made him. It requires a huge commitment to live intentionally. To take responsibility for the choices we make. And how we treat others living intentionally. It's not easy. I we must practice hard everyday. It is our life work. I think again of those little girls cutting out their paper valentimes. No they probably couldn't define love very well if they had been asked. But they did know one thing. They knew that when they shared their valentines with their classmates. They did not want to leave anyone out. Sometimes we will succeed at being our loving best. And when we do succeed. The world will be a little better for our efforts. What does standing on the side of love mean to you. Let's get together and talk about it. We have a lot to share. I'm in.

uufvb_org

2014Oct05Sermon32.mp3

Did you get the morning paper. Welcome welcome this beautiful ottumwa morning. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we are glad. You've chosen to start your day with us. And helping hands. To become our best individual cells even as together we work to make a better world. And please know you're welcome just as you come to us this morning. Whether you're young or old. Gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity what do you have on. Ged or a phd. Weather your visitor with us this morning i've been coming for decades. Whether you're feeling on top of the world. Or down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We welcome you. We hope you'll find our services morning meaningful and enriching. I know you'll find something here this morning. To make the days ahead better. Welcome. To this congregation. Every sunday we gather here at the corner of 16th street and 27th avenue. To celebrate life. And to remember and live out our face. This religious community believes on the worse and the dignity. Of each person. As they come to us in all of their particularity. Believe it. Compassion. And love. In the possibility. That everyone can find joy. And purpose in their living. Welcome. To this our worship. On the sunday when i talk about the source of our unitarian universalist. Which of the words and deeds of prophetic. Women and men. I thought we would do reading from the ancient old testament. Prophets isaiah. 58 the words should be above on the board otherwise it's in the back of your hymnal. 588. Let's read this responsively isaiah of course was speaking. To his own people. The people. Of israel. Is not this the fast that i choose. Is it not. To share your bread with the hungry. And bring the homeless poor. Into your house. When you see them naked to cover them. And not to hide yourself from your own kim. If you remove the yolk from among you. The poison was the singer. The speaking of evil. If you offer your food to the hungry. And satisfy the needs of the afflicted. The morning reading. So this morning i continue my sermon series. Over the coming year about the six official sources. Of our unitarian universalist. Even though i preach the first sermon of the series several weeks ago a majority of you. Are much more familiar with the seven principles. Of unitarian-universalism faithfully print. Every sunday in your orders of service. And often talked about from the pulpit. Then you are the six sources of our faith. Which the denomination has identified. After enumerating the seven principles. The bylaws of arjun nomination which were adopted in 1984. Immediately go on to officially identify. Foundational sources that gives shape to our faith and here they are and i would like to again read them out loud to you. The six sources of unitarian universalism. Addition which we share draws from many sources. Direct experience sending mystery and wonder. Affirmed in all cultures which moved us which moves us. To renewal the spirit. An openness to the forces which create an apple life. And i preached about that 3 weeks ago. The focus for today. Words and deeds of prophetic women and men. Which challenges to confront powers. And structures of evil. With justice compassion and the transforming power of love. Wisdom from the world's religions. Which inspire us in our ethical and spiritual life. For jewish and christian. Which call us to respond to god's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves. 5 cutest teaching. Would counsel us to heat the guidance of reason. And the results of science. And warned us against idolatries of the mind and spirit. And finally in this was added last. Spiritual teachings of earth-centered tradition. Which celebrate the sacred circle of life. And instruct us to live in harmony. With the rhythms of nature. You might well wonder why our free sinking denomination. Bother to formally enumerate six sources which. Inform and shape our faith tradition well it's because. Like all faith traditions ours has to answer.. The epistemological question. And the epistemological question is simply this. Does your ring face tradition. Say something is real or true good or right. The word epistemology which is the kind of fancy academic word and philosophical word simply mean. The grounds or theory of knowledge. And so the epistemological question in religion. Is simply this. Authority does your faith tradition say something is real or true good or right. Authority. Is the really big essential question in all religion. Because i think this is obvious to anyone who thinks about it. If a religion any religion. Cannot answer this question. In a reasonable sound or authoritative manner. Real intellectual and spiritual trouble. Many traditional christian religion. Indeed for most of the congregation here in this town that are meeting all over town. This morning the epistemological question is answered in a way something like this. Mainstream christian epistemology. The source of authority for our religion. Is the word of god. And the teachings of jesus. As recorded in the bible. And as interpreted by church. And tradition. Various christian artists. Is a clear and reasonable epistemology. And indeed an 18th and 19th centuries. Here in america both the early unitarians and the early universalist. Head biblically-based epistemology very similar. Both the early unitarian universalist who were both i remind you. Liberal. Judeo-christian sex. Almost exclusively our traditions did. In biblical scripture. And then they're all be a liberal interpretation. Of the nature of god. And the teachings of jesus. As thesaurus. For spiritual truth and behavior. Fourfold individuals. And the society at large. But with the arrival of the 20th century. Both unitarian universalism fs faith tradition. We're increasingly open to an influence by religious humanism. And other great religions of the world most especially the eastern tradition. Such as buddhism. Hinduism and taoism. The 20th century. We unitarian-universalist began. To embrace a much wider. And more inclusive spirituality. And epistemology than this one. And began quickly actually moving beyond the confines. Of our strictly christian and biblical roots. Unitarian universalists as increasingly encounter. The wisdom from the other religions and philosophies of the world. Most especially the teachings of modern-day humanism. And so what. Navigation to update our epistemological source statement. In 1984. That was included in our bylaws. Right now we're back to that. So you will see that in honor of our distinctly judeo-christian roots. Forget remember both unitarianism and universalism began as liberal. Christian sex. The fourth source is jewish and christian. Teaching. And we'll get to that in a in a couple of months when i talked about the importance of that. In rnr a jewish honoring our jewish and kristen path. But you will see that it is not first on the list. No it's fourth. And that is very important to know. And we put before that fourth source. The focus for today. The words and deeds of prophetic. Women and men. Where do we begin. I think we have to begin by defining the word. Prophetic. Perhaps the keyword. In this state. Prophetic. What does it mean in our face tradition. For someone to. Prophetic. Will the word prophetic of course has its origin. In the ancient idea of the prophet. Which wikipedia the online encyclopedia. In religion. Is an individual who is playing. Contact by the supernatural or the divine. And to speak for them. Serving as an intermediary with humanity. Delivering this newfound knowledge. From the supernatural entity. Two other people. And then wikipedia cozaar. The message that the prophet is called a prophecy. Play many cultures. Throughout history. Including judaism. Christianity. Islam. Ancient greece. Zoroastrianism and many others. And then wikipedia n. Traditionally profits are regarded as having a role in society. That promotes change. Due to their message. And their actions unquote. One online dictionary tells us that the word prophet. Comes from the greek root to process. And it means to speak forth or to advocate. And a1 online biblical site explains the role prophets play. In the jewish and christian traditions right this. Prophet. Is an authorized spokesperson. Forgot. With a message that originated from with god. And was communicated through number of me. When god spoke to the spokesperson. They have no choice. But to deliver that word. To those to whom god directed it unquote. So the classic understanding in religion. Is it a prophet is an extraordinary messenger of the divide. Who demands that those around him or her. Listen. To god's instructions. The prophets of the jewish. Bible. Spoke of the rhone he spoke to the rhone hebrew community. Of the will of god pointing the people of israel. For goodness righteousness. Justice and compassion. Most of you are undoubtedly familiar. With the stern prophets of the old testament. Striking men like amos. Hosea. Jeremiah isaiah noah. And ezekiel who preach to the people of israel. About mostly their sins and in justices. And reminded them in no uncertain terms of what their god. In covenant relationship with them. Demand of his people. And what grievous outcomes. What happened to the people of israel if they disobeyed him. The hebrew prophets had as the famous scholar abraham heschel put that i love this quote. A breathless and patient. With justin. Forgot as isaiah puts it. Is raging in the prophet's words. The mouth of the prophet is a sharp sword. He has the polished arrow. Of the quiver. Of god. Unqualified. The polished arrow. Taken out of the quiver. Of god. These are not people you want to meet on a regular basis. We might find. This ancient biblical tradition. About god keeping the people of israel in line. To the stern words and warnings of hand-selected prophets. Surely this is not what we as unitarian universalist. In the 21st century mean when we say. That we look at value the words and deeds. Of prophetic. Women and men. As i'm sure you've already noticed what are denominations finally settled. I'm the all-important on this all-important second source its wording. Words and deeds of old male prophets. Chalice humanity to honor god by confronting the powers and structures of evil. With justice compassion. And the transforming power of love they didn't word it that way. No. We affirm the importance of prophetic words and deeds of both men and women. Ed assumedly. Past and present. And from every great religious tradition of humanity and from every corner of the globe. Who call us these prophetic people. With the moral clarity of their words and deeds. To do what is right. What i think is somewhat scuttlebutt is terribly important. In this unitarian universal statement. It does not focus on the noun profit. Lifting up a few remarkable god inspired people from the past. As some sort of pure and saintly example of righteousness. But rather it focuses on an adjectives. The word prophetic. Treating prophecy i would suggest. As an ongoing human possibility. Indeed an ongoing requirement in human life. For men and women women and men everywhere. Carefully-worded statement of ours. Suggested the role of being prophetic. Is never restricted. 2fu divinely-inspired mostly men. A biblical. Prophecy and being prophetic. Is something we all can and do end. In our trouble time. 4 unitarian universalist then prophecy. Is it ongoing human possibility and responsibility. As together we work in our religious and ethical lies. To confront evil. And to promote love and justice and compassion. As my colleague beth miller who serves our current location up the road i asked ministers in florida. If they had preached on these six sources and she's one of the few who sent me all six of her sermon. Here's what she wrote on this. The second source. There are still plenty of profit. Amongst. Modern-day prophecy. Confront people about practices. Adjust or immoral. Modern-day prophets death goes on. Truth. 2 power. They still remind us who we are. At our best. They still seek to turn us back. To have us repent. From ways of life. That are selfish and exploited. So that the community may experience redemption. And it restoration. To wholeness for all. And two piece. And harmony. Unquote. So let's pause here and without using the word prophet. For as i have suggested that word. Can lifting up just a few old-timers. Conveniently distances us. From the possibility of prophetic activity in our own life. Let's see if together we can build a list. Of some of the prophetic. Religious traditions the kind of women and men. Poop prophetically. Help us to see the way to love and justice and compassion. I want the individual teacher. Call out of the names of some of these people one at a time and i'll put them up listen. What i must say of course. And everyone who is suggested. This is after all a free-thinking conjugation. But i think this will give us a landscape of what kinds of prophetic people were talking about. Yes. Mother teresa i have a crib list over here. I know i asked for one and i didn't get one. Martin luther king. What. I'm sorry. That's not it that's not a prophetic name. Alright gandhi. Jfk. Rosa parks. Elena. Thurman howard thurman. The famous african-american theologian. Thomas jefferson. How about how about how about oh my goodness okay alright alright. I did ask. How about jesus. We didn't get him up there.. He was a man. Atari. Harvey milk. How about nelson mandela. I had her on my. Ls2. Rachel carson. The famous psychologist. Alright that one or two more. Mark twain. Who's granddaughter just passed away. Thought you know that yeah unitarian universalist. Stop. What's the full name again. Yeah. And margaret mead alright we'll stop there. Alright. Alright. You get the idea. Coming to see who else i had on my little list. I had. I had a few more of those. But we could go on and on all day. These are just some. Of the noble visionary noble and visionary women and men from human history from this.. From all corners of the globe and from various faith background. Whose words and deeds. And must indeed. Help us inspire us to leave live of greater compassion. Greater justice and greater love the shining example of these lives. Helps us to live better live. Right where we live. And i'm sure that we as in as we as unitarian universalist moving to the future. Will be adding new names to this list as new prophets. A new saints arise from human history. So let's move on the now and. Of this. Statement. Another very important. Is the inclusion of this phrase. To confront powers. And structures of evil. Wii u use believe that the words and deeds of prophetic women and man. Challenges to confront evil. Is very important to waze. It's very important to know the word evil. Was included in the statement in 1984 because. It's frightening because it was a long. of time and unitarian universalist history. When is the faith tradition we were not terribly comfortable using the word evil or sid. 18th and 19th century are optimistic and positive thinking spiritual forebears. The great transcendentalist thinkers like ralph waldo emerson. William ellery channing. Theodore parker and so many. We're standing up against calvinism. Which was just so with an evil. They were not much interested in those words. As a result. Our forebears seldom use the word evil. When they talk about human affairs. It's not. That our forebears were unaware of human wrongdoing. And violence and cruelty. They just didn't want to permanently mabel label human beings and society. As inherently evil. Which is what the calvinist their religious competitors in the marketplace. Ralph waldo emerson for example in his famous 1841 divinity school address. Suggested to the unitarian minister. And now i paraphrase him he said boys. There's no darkness. Only the absence of life. There's no such thing as evil. Only the absence of goodness. Did you get that subtlety. Darkness and evil are not as not equivalent. Two light and goodness. To use the world word evil. But by the time of art the statement was created in 1984. And perhaps this is sadly doing part. To the many wars. And then humanities and atrocities of the 20th century. No one on the steering committee that apparently had a problem. With including the word evil. As something we have to quote. Confront. Andover power. I for one is a minister in this tradition. And profoundly comfortable. With the assertion. Set a crucial part of your and my work. As a religious people. To confront. The powers and structures of evil. With justice and compassion. And the transforming power of love. In these troubled and violent early years of the 21st century. Would be hesitant to acknowledge was another beheading yesterday for god's sake in the middle east. That there is much evil in the world. Which demands the resistance. Of our full human community. And every one of our hands and hearts. How many times in human affairs. It is not enough. It is not enough. Just simply be personally you know kind and loving and gentle. We need to stand up together often. In an organized way. And say no to evil to violence to cruelty and injustice to say no we will not allow it in our world. And to declare the evil in all of its pernicious manifestation. Has no place in our world as we did for example. When the world grows up. Against hitler. Third reich. And the second important thing to notice about this middle part of the statement. Challenging us to confront. Powers. And structures. You use in the statement are not challenging her so much. Personal evil and wrongdoing like. To challenge someone who has murdered someone. That's the micro-level of our lives know. This statement is. Asking us to address. The powers and principalities of evil. The macro-level. Where evil is played out. In communities and governments. And culture. The statement in the way we have. We are primarily challenging one another. To prophetically address. Structural. And societal evil. Which is very different. Impersonal or idiosyncratic evil. We are we are demanding as a faith tradition. Get together we confront. Whatever systemically dehumanizes. Individuals or communities. Addressing for example societal scourges like. Poverty. Homelessness. Joblessness. Compassion was capitalism. Racism. Homophobia sexism. Domestic violence. To name just a few of the systemic. And systematic. Moral failures. Of our culture. So our faith tradition. Is clearly more focused. On societal failure and wrongdoing. Then it is personal. Tell your and wrongdoing it's not that we approve of personal failure and wrongdoing. But we are most as a religious tradition focus. A changing the larger structures. Of the world so that all humanity can move forward. So in closing this morning let me tell you what. Statement means to me. The second source of our faith. The words and deeds of prophetic women and men. Memes of in my spiritual and ethical life that i live out mostly here in vero beach florida. I need to regularly heed the clarion call of prophetic. Individuals. And women and men from many times and places cultures and traditions. Who has name. Destructive and dehumanizing structures of evil. And challenge me with all of you. To address them. With compassion and justice. And love. The source means that i have an ongoing moral duty. To see an address evil. In all of its societal. And cultural manifestation. And a further means that i myself. As one unitarian universalist. Realize that the work of prophecy. Is not something the conveniently ended in biblical times. No. We who lead lives in these terribly complicated years. Of the 21st century we are all responsible. Right where we live in life. Today are at least occasionally. To be prophetic ourselves. When we see evil. And injustice and suffering unnecessary suffering in our mint. Like the prophets of old we need. To speak up. When we see wrongdoing in pain. Being inflicted on others. Even if it is by benign structures like. Vague laws that say well we can't really take care of people without healthcare. We have to speak up. And we have to act up. On behalf of compassion and justice in love. Of course it can. Be pretty a pretty scary thing. When we feel called upon. To stand up. And confront powers and structures of evil around us. Sometimes these forces. Are very powerful. I'm very established. And they have a great deal of power over us. But this is what our faith. Demands of us. To be a unitarian universalist means that you are prepared to become. A courageous. Activist. On behalf of human dignity and hope. When you see those things endangered. In this faith tradition. We cannot remain silent or passive. When we see the unjust. And unnecessary suffering of others. We are unitarian universalists. Our people are safe. Pumas again. And again. And again. Speak up. An actor. On behalf of what we know. Deep to our hearts. To be compassionate. And loving. And i said me and you this morning. I send you on your way with someone who i put on the list. The dalai lama. Kunis book. Ethics for the 21st century wrote. May i become at all times. Both now and forever. A protector for those without protection. A guide for those who've lost their way. A ship for those with oceans to cross. A bridge for those with rivers to cross. A sanctuary for those in danger. For those without light. A place of refuge. For those who lack shelter. And the servant. To all in these. Go in peace. Do good. And be well. I meant.

uufvb_org

2015Apr26Sermon128.mp3

Good morning it's a fabulously beautiful day in vero beach and i am so glad all of you are here. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach. And i am glad that we have as many as we do. And this is just wonderful. We are a very friendly congregation and we're delighted to see you. A little boy that you made the choice to be with us today rather than walking on the beach for doing something else it would also be wonderful on earth day. We hope that you will find our service this morning meaningful enriching. Thought-provoking. And that you will take away with you and experience. That will add value to your life and that you will remember. And also this morning i understand that the video feed for scott's ride is operational and we will watch the video now. Back in vero beach as you can see here i am in costa mesa california that's the mighty pacific ocean it's saturday and tomorrow just about the time you're doing 10 worship i will be on the way east and hello john and barbara corrado we're glad you're there helping out the congregation i'll come to you by video next sunday from the albuquerque new mexico have a wonderful sunday i'm thinking of you all and i hope you're with me in spirit as well as thinking about the harvest moon and all the people in our community were hungry and poor for home or doing this great rides have a good sunday. Everyone back at you usb-b and sunday at the continental divide we've got eight hundred miles and i'm doing great i have been a chest cold but i'm recovering and we're glad you're still there with the card very much. Sounds as though he's having a wonderful time. So. We are a community of memory and hope which meats in the present. And at present it's very warm. And the earth is very much alive. Let that be a metaphor for. Warm and alive. In the present. We are a community of memory and hope which meats in the present. Be present. And be blessed. Well reflecting peace let's call it reflecting peace. 3. Short readings the last two. I can assure you about they are by carl sandburg and poet and universalist. The first will wake you up. You only have what you give away right. The sierra club. And the u.s. forest service representing an alternative. To the wyoming ranchers. For controlling the coyote population. It seems that after years of the ranchers using the tried-and-true method of shooting or trapping the predators. The sierra club offered more. Humane solution. What they were proposing was that the animals be captured alive. The males would then be castrated and let let loose again. This was actually proposed by the sierra club by the way and by the forest service. All of the ranchers thought about this amazing idea for a couple of minutes and finally an old fellow wearing a big cowboy hat in the. Back of the conference room setup and tipped his hat back and said. Son i don't think you understand the problem here. These coyotes ain't mating with our sheep they're eating them the meeting never got back to order. From carl sandburg. Everywhere there is love and love making weddings and babies from generation to generation. Keeping the human family alive and continuing. We are all alike and all countries and all tribes. Trying to read what sky and land and sea you're saying to us. All i can ever alike we are on all continent. All the need of loving. God and clothing and worship and speech. Work. Sleep. Games dancing and fun. One big family hugging close to this ball of earth for its life. For our life and our being. And finally. There was only one horse on earth. And his name is all horses. There's only one bird in the air. And his name is all wings. There is only one fish in the sea. And her name is all fins. There is only one man in the world and his name is all men there's only one woman in the world and. Her name is all women. There was only one child in the world my child's name. Is all god's children. There is only one maker in the world and his children. Cover. Choir i don't know if it makes any difference to you but. Duke ellington once said that those who clap on two and four are democrats and those who clap on one and three are republicans. Out of the way first of all the first one is yes i believe in global warming okay. The second one is in the question am i a tree hugger. Just a cute one. This is it's a rather difficult i think to preach on earth day it's. A preacher's task like preaching on mother's day you know that's when you always get the guest minister in. Because everything that's been said. It has to be said has been said. And there's not much new to say. So i started thinking about this daunting task. And i thought about my hometown and times before earth day. About what i saw what i experienced. And the gospel is my life and what does it tell me what my my story. Say to your story. And about our attitude about the earth and. Soho. So i went to present five scenes which. Started represent 5 attitudes one about the crooked river the winning loser the. Emerald necklace. Pat's family and the saints. And the ball field. You have all that done yet. Now i grew up in cleveland ohio anybody else here from cleveland. Yay thank anybody else here ever been to cleveland. Anybody else over here. And when i grew up. What is now been called the mistake by the lake. Call. The best location in the nation and in some ways it really was. What's the fifth largest city. It has all these wonderful things cleveland indians or cleveland browns. The indians are very good ball team the browns winning all the time that hockey team winning the cleveland orchestra my god the art museum. Vibrant downtown integrate transportation system. So. Perfect but for a kid growing up in the rough-and-tumble area between. The stockyards in the steel mills it had plenty to offer. So i want to reflect on some things that i saw and. And her birthday too. First of all the river. The crooked cuyahoga river. Cuyahoga means crooked. That's a place where the freighters would come in from lake erie and making incredible big turn. And they would go to the steel mills and they drop off or. In the steel mills with drop off all their pollutants into the river. Sometimes i would walk downtown. I lived less than three miles from downtown and i would walk down. Scranton road down into the flats the industrial section it spread oil. Great. Great fit. And just before the ridge bridge that crossed the river and went up to downtown near where the ballpark is if you ever watch the indians on. Then you know just where this is. And i would be right by. The river. It was less than 50 yards from these walking along it. And there it was. Color. Coffee. With plenty of cream. And about 28 days growth of something you could not identify. Green and swirly and all kind of. Color switch. Eventually became america's burning river some of you will remember. And it was witness to something it was witness to what a mess. Humanity can make and has made of nature. And that's a string a lot of people like the poland still like to pull the way people would screwed everything up to be very blunt. And there's certainly a lot of evidence to point to that and if you go to your own. Vero beach museum you can see an exhibit now photographs of the way people that messed. The environment up. We pollute a lot in the name of progress. And our. Affluence is also our affluence. When i look back at the writings of. The seventies ohmygod. This was around the origin of earth day in 1970 i see a lot of. Alarm a lot of self-flagellation by human beings. Here are some of the things that were being sad and some of us. We're guilty of preaching. Three examples. Lake erie is dead. It's gone forever the only way that it will ever be cleaned up as if you. Put a hole right in the middle of it and drain everything out and start all over again. Washington dc with run out of drinkable water by the 1990s. Nice thing i know still drinking there. And between seventy-five and eighty-five per-cent of the animal species would be extinct by 1995 this is what we said. Images book earth first david foreman wrote this. Are you ready. An ice age is coming and i welcome it as a much-needed cleansing i see no solution to our ruination of earth. Except for a drastic reduction of the human population. Another words people are no damn good. Is this message. I don't think mr. forman started with himself by the way in that reduction of the population. Well people do pollute. And we should be concerned. But there's also a warning in this. A fella named greg is easterbrook wrote this. There's a growing sense that the only socially it's respectable attitude toward the environment is pushing the panic button. Fashionable alarmism may eventually create i. Chicken little backlash. As the years pass and nature doesn't and people may stop listening when environmentalists issue warnings. Be chicken little. And people may stop listening. Set the first scene. But there can be wise listening and doing even along the banks of the cuyahoga. Let me tell you about a homemaker. I forget her real last name but i'll call her. Mrs. dombrowski she was polish and she lived in cleveland and packed you lived on a street home than avenue i believe that went. Down down into the flats into the industrial area. I knew her because her son was in a. Club in a neighborhood settlement house and i did some counseling with that group for a short time. And i knew her through him. She lived in a house and she knew what my mom knew. Did the fly ash from the steel nose. Could be seen on your windowsill. And every day my mother would take a rag. And like the windowsill. And for the houses that were on the eastside of. The flats of the valley. They had turned to rust orange. The size of a. All of this. Well mrs. dombrowski was a vitally concerned citizen so what she decided to do. West to run for city council. To run against an incumbent. Been an incumbent for years. Yours. Because of this because she wanted. She wanted things cleaned up. That's what you wanted. And she gave voice to her the satisfaction and she ran a vigorous campaign. And she lost. And when i. Saw her on the street one day i said mrs. dombrowski really. Sorry that you lost that campaign and she said no no don't be sorry i didn't lose. I didn't lose because what i wanted to be heard got her. I didn't lose because my voice was heard. And it's a matter of fact because of voices like hers steps were taken to curb the pollution. In the sky as well as in the river. And you'll see if you. Saw it before you can see it now and see the difference. The cleanliness. The lesson. At least some of the time we can clean up our messes. We mess we can clean up. The tinkering humanity. Sometimes may cause problems but it can also. Offer solutions to those problems. And we need it to encourage the creative application of technology. Instead of demonizing. Sometimes we do. You know at the end of one of those many frankenstein movies. Has the castle is burning down one of those. Citizen says. Man was not made to tinker with the unknown. But as a matter of fact we were. Ever since eve first inquired with had those kind of mines. The world without tinkering would be a world without microscopes are telescopes or vaccines are. Heart valves are bronze or batteries or you name it. We are not hopeless. And helpless and dealing. With nature. We can clean up our messes. So technology may take it away. But it also giveth. But hey. What about not making message to begin with and that brings me to the emerald necklace. Apart of cleveland i did not tell you about. Around the city there is what is called the emerald necklace it is a series of. Parks. Here is what humanity has done also. Reserve like national park. Reserve a a path of greenpath. Why not just leave nature alone. You know eden before the fall saint francis you know putting out his hand in the birds. Stopping on. That's right. I think frances approach. Why not just love all creatures. Great and small. And isn't there some saint francis in most of us. I think so. If we are polluters we can be preservers you know. Endangered species list in solon. I remember the wonderful time going on field trips when i was in elementary school. I didn't know what a trailing arbutus was but my teacher with pointed out to me as well. Walk and saw the wildflower. Wonderful. St francis. soon approach let nature be. Saint francis is the saint of. Romantic fantasies about nature. Of the perching birds in the taming of wolves. Get tips nature as it is and he will not interfere with. The peaceable kingdom. And that's alright. That's very sweet. And it's very nice and it may work for you. Until the day of the pet blessing in church. When my pet boa eat your pet hamster. Nature is wondrous and wonderful. Without human interference. But nature is not just sweet and lovely. Brings me to another scene. A scene involving a. Little girl named pat. And a certain weekend. So i'm going to go back to cleveland backpack. Sports. When i was 15 it's a long time ago gang. And the object of. My affection was a little girl named. Pat live with her. Step parents. Sister and two little brothers that she just adore. And it was such a sweet time of life that i don't know that there is such innocence today. You know when a little romance went met that you went to a movie and it took you the whole first movie. To put your arm around a girl. Any of you remember that. My the only romantic like that. And holding hands was a real big deal. And phone calls from. Do you remember these that the phone go to the drugstores you know you would call and talk. So it was in the middle of this little romance one saturday night. Spring. I can tell you the year 1956. I was with my buddies doing what we often did we went to tony's house and in tony's house. Tony had a high-five remember those. Hi with records have been around him. And we were listening to jazz music. And we were having our usual good time talking and listening and. Criticizing and. And suddenly started. And it was looking like there was some big going to be big rain but there was no rain so we did the crazy thing that we would often do on a nice night in the spring we got out of the window on the side on the top. Porch. Porch roof. And we watch then the wind kept on whipping up and whipping up and we were for this is fun. Until we saw garbage cans. Fly over fences that were this high. And suddenly we decided that discretion was the better part of valor. And in we went in not only into his room but under his bed. And things went on like this for a while. It was scary. And i said to one of my friends and i have a bad feeling about pat. I said i'll forget about it so i did. Until the next day came was a sunday and after kind of hanging out with the guys again. I decided to give. Hadacol. I called her house and strange voice answer. Woman who identified herself as pat's wife. Excuse me. I took backtrack on that. See if you don't write it down.. Pat's at. And she said pat can't come to the phone now. I figured out she's had another fight with her sister right. She said no haven't you heard. And then the story unfolded. It seems that i'm. The night before that saturday night. Her stepfather. Was walking with. Two little brothers. They were taking a walk. Cleveland near the zoo. The big bridge that. Comes over the park. And as the wind whipped up. Stepfather decided we better get out of here so. He saw this little little tavern that was really a shack. The boys went in with him. After they've been in only a few minutes. There was a rattling in the. The shack started to collapse. And so the stepfather grab the two boys like this. And as the shack collapsed it fell on his back opening his arms. The boys flew out. Crushed to death. Nature. Isn't. Only always spend nippes. Sometimes we live by that method nature is beneficence. It's wonderful it isn't. You can ask another fellow i went to school with who lost everything in his cottage in. By hurricane sandy and i'm sure most of you has must have suffered some losses we. Certainly have an inr home and yard. With trees and. And some of them on our roof. So. I can no longer accept the romanticized you as nature is alba nificent. And loving. Nature is nature. It's wonderful and it's awesome. But nature also overwhelmed. And nature kills. How do nature lovers deal with floods and tornadoes and earthquakes. They can be implicated in debts many more that's even than some of our atomic. I've seen people pickett atomic plants. But i've never seen him picketed tsunami. But to be realistic nature. Not only awesome it can be. Awful. And it's really strange we call such as ann sacks of god. Ever notice that. Tornadoes are acts of god. Reminds me of one of my buddies from way back then he says. Give me that old testament god he never takes anything from anybody. And that's the god of nature. So how do i integrate all of this well for me. It has to do with the saint. And the ball fields. Back to the cleveland flats again that part where the valley goes like this and then. You have industry in trucking places in river and. And also some barren spots. And there was an area directly at the edge of the valley directly west of the steel mills. That was. Ugly. Hard round pitted rocks. Patches of crabgrass here in their weeds a little bit maybe a nasty. Assertive marcy parts. But since it was an open space that was a place we could go. To play ball and we did. Are we played baseball there we played football there and need i say it was not a nice place to be tac. So jump ahead from then to today. Except for its flatness you wouldn't recognize this. Grass. Trees. Well-manicured ballfields. Soccer teams are waiting in cars. To get off into the fields. So what happened. Well it wasn't people messing up nature. It wasn't even people cleaning up their own messes. It wasn't people just. Protecting and preserving what nature had produced. And it wasn't just nature running amok. What it was was a partnership between nature and humanity. It was a. An approach is personified by a sixth-century monk. Benedict. Lucite remark here. I've always been intrigued that in liberal circles. Whenever i've seen in earth day program. Invariably somebody mentions. Oh gosh chief seattle. And the speech that he made about natura first of all he never made the speech that he's allegedly made so mad. Ryder made it and second of all. It it's kind of strange that we. Get out of our own heritage. Our own judeo-christian heritage where we do have. Some some presidents for us including and very importantly benedict. Benedict establish the religious order which cultivated land. Sometimes apparently desolate and presumably barren land. Throughout western europe it wasn't just reforest. Wasn't just like kenya we messed it up we'll clean it up. It was genuinely. Taking the lab taking what nature had given which wasn't quite a lot. And making more of. Farms forest vineyards landscapes cultivated and shaped. A writer wrote this of a section of southampton. England. Nature left to herself. Ran wild. Riot. And chaos more and more and more into the 7th century. Till the whole. Of this area became one. Dismal swamp. Writing five centuries later a nobleman called it a paradise. Groves of trees. Fruit trees herbs. This was a product. Man and nature. Impartner. Through the benedictines. I did this. They cultivated land throughout europe and italy in. All of western europe. And this is not to mention a very famous benedictine who i'm sure some of you have heard of. Dom perignon. You can thank him too. Go to there. There are some things that neither humanity nor nature can do alone. We are most benefited seems by a. Partnership. I can personally testify to you that this. True. About what i saw in the flats in cleveland. And i am also reminded of something that happened in the church that i served for 25 years. In the back. Of the grosse pointe unitarian church. There is a big wonderful circle garden. And one time and flowers oh my. Magnificent. Somebody said to me something right isn't it wonderful what god has given you there. And i said yeah but you should have seen it before patty woke started digging and putting them in. It's not just. Nature. Answer partners. So the occasion of. Earth day gives us a chance to reflect as we can. And. Then and only then. Actis we will. Or as we must. The natural world. Of which we are apart. Read that in the principles i love that. Natural world of which we are parked the web. Of interconnected well every web is interconnected isn't it. But the natural world of which we are apart is not something to be abused. It's not something to righteously fight about. It's not something to sentimentalize. It's not something to ignore. It's a precious inherit. To be cared for and partner with. In whatever ways we can. With whatever gifts we have. Loving and living as best we can those precious moments. That we are given to share. With our life. Our lives. And with all other. In the web of life of which. You are a part. Be a compassionate holy link. The finds the dead with the living. The living with the not yet born in such a way. That the eyes of eternity eternity widen. Rather than we. Try to see if those eyes do. That the dust of our common destiny not make you afraid. For the source of our being binds us as one. Saints and sears. Raging seas. And twinkling stars. Amen.

uufvb_org

2015Jan18Sermon32.mp3

Good morning. And welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship king junior. We are so pleased you've decided to begin your day with us. Navigation charts and helping hands people become. Our best individual cells even is together as a congregation work to make this world a better place. Please know you're welcome just as you come to us in all of your diversity. We are so pleased. Everyone is here with us this morning. We hope you will find our services sporting meaningful and enriching. You'll find something here this morning. The nearest should your spirit and feed your soul energy and purpose and joy. For the living of life in the days ahead. Are opening words, words of doctor. We keep the church going to keep it alive. To preach good news to the poor. Liberty. The church is not. A social club. The church is not. And entertainment center. The church has a purpose. And the purpose is to deal with ultimate concern. Sunday after sunday week broken hearts. Kiehl's. The brokenhearted. People who are slaves to prejudice. Slaves. Fear. The church is called to set free those who are captive. Those that are victims. Slavery of segregation. Discrimination. Has caught up. In the slavery. These are our guidelines and if we will only follow the guidelines. We will be doing a little social club. We won't be a little entertainment center. But we will be about the serious business of bringing god's kingdom. To this earth. Invite you now this meditation about martin luther king. Co-founders in a meditation manual. Emily and i will share it. A tiny wellspring. A thundering river. The story is told of a hiker who enjoy vacationing in the wooded ravines of northern wisconsin. Beautiful crystal clear river. Pure spring water. Infamous heike improvised a drinking cup out of the crown of his hat. He took a long satisfying drink sparkling water. Decided to follow the winding stream. Hidden deep in the recesses the forest. The water was bubbling up. Marcy bed and sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight. Get the f*** of this spring was so small. Even so he could not stop. The water sprinklers. Is way down the valley sing gailey. Went about externally of mercy. To counter a life-sustaining blessing. Two bird. The flour and field. Leaving everything finished. Green. Beautiful. Healthier. Unhappier. This day has been set aside. To honor the memory of a single solitary. Humble life. A live that dream. Like the tiny font of the river. The man we honor today was a wellspring. His ideal his convictions. A bigotry. And intolerance bursting forth into the light of a better day. Through the point of origin. A mighty river of morality. And social commitment has truly flowed forward from it. Nevertheless as the psalmist declared. The eternal one. Projected truth forward. And nothing could stifle. It's inevitable surge ahead. We got to just stay on the back. Are they truly just took river of thought. That has made its way out from its mom. Untraveled on his journey of mercy in his touch. Every haven and hamlet. Across this great nation. It is none other. Which offers is. Staining message. Of every race and creed. Leaving everything. Green. Beautiful. Healthier. Sparse. To give thanks to the source of all life. For having placed this courageous dreamer. In our midst. We are truly to be grateful for the manifold blessings that have come to us as a birthright. Even as we rededicate ourselves on this day in particular. To the thundering. Admonition. Of the prophet. Do justly. Love & mercy. And walk humbly. With your god. Hirons. The morning but at. This morning. As it once again devote this third sunday in january to honor and remember the great legacy of dr. martin luther king jr.. We must do so this year in the terrible what happened in ferguson missouri and subsequently. And many other angry communities all across america. You all know the complicated chain of violent and painful events that were triggered in suburban ferguson missouri. Last year when michael brown. An 18 year old african american who was not carrying a gun. With the officer trying to arrest him. Was kill by multiple race relations in america continues to be a very complicated. Divisive subject. One which engenders a great deal of emotion. Headstrong. Honestly i'm a bit hesitant in the first place about waiting into these controversial waters this morning because. Doing waiting into the waters of our beaches off the treasure coast never know. Shark. Or a barracuda. Or a jellyfish or a stingray will come out of nowhere and get you. But it's my job. As your lead minister. To take the risk of speaking as honestly and intelligently as i can about important topics americans together face. And to encourage open and responsible dialogue among us. So that together as a religious community. We can move hopefully tour deeper. And more constructive understanding. And so did that and as i have announced there will be a dialogue about 30 minutes into coffee hour. Outback in this room will ring a bell and any of you who want to engage the issues that i raised and other issues please do so i asked in the meantime. That is you listen to my perspectives this morning you trust my good intentions. Am i honest struggle. To advance this important and crucial conversation. American publicly. Alright. I have six points. To articulate for your consideration i will take each of them number one. As is the case with so many of the pressing social issues in american life today. The question as to whether or not african-americans are treated justly. By the police and courts which ferguson other tragedies involving the death of black males at the hands of the police. I've caught the nation's attention. Has revealed deep and painful divisions. In our nation. Following the ferguson missouri grand jury's decision. To bring charges against officer wilson in the shooting of bartow brown a washington post-abc poll shows that the american people are starkly split almost exactly down the middle. With forty-eight percent of americans approving of the grand jury's decision. And 45% disapproving it. When broken down by race and this won't surprise you only 9% of african americans approve of the decision. While 85% disapproved and white 58%. Approved. Of the decision while only 35% disapprove. So america is deeply and angrily split both against conservative-liberal lines and racial lines. And let me talk about that political division. While 80% of white republicans support the grand jury's decision only 37%. Of white democrats to. The trouble in ferguson and elsewhere has further divided our nation along both racial and political line. The treasure coast i continue to be disheartened. As always reflected the letters to the editor in the press journal where do these people come from. Concerning the event. With many in the white community ready and eager to blame the black community and black culture for these deadly confrontation. While others assumedly liberal and black. Illiberal and black lizard can be two different groups. Want to blame all the trouble on systemic american racism injustice and prejudice. I passionately believe in the way we understand and see these racial situations. Again and again. Black and white liberal and conservative republican democrat. You honestly together face the complexities of race in america. And begin to move toward real progress. Solution for all america. And for the culture as a whole. We simply must find ways to stop talking past each other. Playing the blame game. I'm doing the hard work instead of constructive engagement. As is now once again painfully obvious to everyone our nation desperately needs to address. The painful and destructive divide. In so many ways between white and black american. And this is going to require patience. An openness. And self-examination and grace on the part of every. Number two. In each of these cases of african-american males being killed by police officers. The facts relating to each incident matter. L be there from the african-american community police organization. Should refrain from exaggeration. Outraged stereotyping and selective application of the facts. Let me briefly talked about the death of michael brown as a perfect and painful example of this. I agree with john mcwhorter and african-american columnist for time magazine. Who recently wrote. The focusing that by focusing our national attentions on what happened with ferguson that night we have quote. Chosen the wrong tragedy. To wake this country up. Do the in justices of the american criminal justice system. Well many liberal americans including many unitarian universalist believe this young man was a victim. Totally unwarranted police shooting. Others including many more conservative americans believe he was a defiant troublemaker. Was alone responsible for his own death. Well the facts as i understand them after a great deal of study. Don't allow me and i honestly don't allow anyone else. To conclude with any reasonable certainty whether or not this incident was. A lawful and just shooting. Or an unjustified killing or. Something in between. We know for example. Turn on the night in question michael brown was high on marijuana. Had robbed a store. Assaulted a clerk. But his dna was found inside the officers, suggesting that the six-foot-four 300-pound teenager. Initiated some sort of armed struggle. Additionally offer of officer wilson had cuts and bruises on his body indicating that a physical altercation. Had occurred. On the other hand has brown did not have a gun in his possession. And at some but not all of the witnesses said he had his hands raised. Assigned surrender when he was shot. Officer wilson discharged a total. 12. Shots. The last witch last of which was fatal. I don't know about you but it is totally unclear to me from these and other murky facts. Whether or not police shooting. Was justifiable or was wrong. What i can tell you is it as an american i'm a little more. i'm a little bit more. A little more. By the number of highly vocal leaders on both sides who seem to think they know precisely what happened. And whether or not justice was served. In ferguson. And staten island and cleveland and everywhere else america's be they black or white gets shot or otherwise killed by police. The facts matter. And we need on both sides of the issue to avoid wild speculation. And baseless accusations. Third point i want to consider. And that is regardless. Of the actual facts on the ground. In each of these recent incidences of african-american males being killed by police. The reason the outrage and protests. Is because african-americans and other minorities are reacting. To a long and painful an undeniable history. Of injustice and violence perpetrated against them by american police. And courts. And that is something we americans must together address regardless of the particulars of each. Unfolding situation. The morning after the grand jury in ferguson refused to indict officer wilson in this lane. A michael brown are denominational president peter morales. Observe this. Ferguson is not about ferguson. It's about the systematic dehumanization. A people all over america. There's so much bottled up frustration injustice. So much repression so much fear hatred and racism in our nation. Explosion of violence and rage in ferguson. Asymptomatic. Of a cultural. Disease unquote. As i've already said i have many unanswered questions about the particulars. Involved in the recent and highly publicized. Of young african-american males at the hands of police. But something i do not question. Is the saturn obvious truth the for many generations now african-americans and other racial minorities. Have been widely mistreated not everywhere in america. With injustice and prejudice and harassment and violence both. Perpetrated by the police and the courts now. As i just said. All american communities. And not all american courts are all american police officials. Art. Guilty of unequal and unjust application of the law. But clearly enough have them. Jamaican indisputable that many african americans have not been treated with equal justice and fair play and the end in the respect they deserve. As citizens of this democracy. I believe it was boiled over in such rage and destruction and ferguson. Was not so much anger about the particular death of michael brown. As it was fury unleashed because of decades of abuse and harassment. By the local courts and police. Surely many of you have heard the reports and mpr and elsewhere. There's a widespread distrust of and the local police. And courts which fueled protests are in ferguson and other. Predominantly african-american communities across the united states. A systematic pattern. Evangelist police and court activity has long been in place for example. In 2013 in ferguson. Issued a whopping 33,000 warrants. Mostly minor driving violations like having a burned-out taillight. For failing to use a turn signal. African americans their makeup 60. 7% of the population. Butter 86% of the motorists were stopped by police. Well why to make up 29% of the population only account for 12% of traffic stops. Arch city defenders st louis area public defender group says in a report. More than half the county's in the st. louis metropolitan area including ferguson. Engage in illegal and harmful practices of charging high court fines fines and fees on nonviolent offenses like traffic violations. And then arresting people primarily those in minority communities. Or can't pay. Last year ferguson collected a whopping 2.6 million dollars in court fines and fees. It's mostly black citizens. Which turns out to be the second-largest source of income beyond property tax. For that municipality. As the report concludes. Folks in ferguson. Have the impression that this practice is a form of low-level harassment. It isn't about public safety. What is about. Money. And a quick but important to sidebar here even though african-americans. Make up an overwhelming majority some 3/5 of the voters ineligible voters in ferguson. The elected leaders of that city report are overwhelmingly white. What explains unrepresented government two things. That city's governance structures of the city council is entirely elected at-large. Which means the black neighborhoods do not have the opportunity to vote for a local representative. Majority of this is perhaps even more. A majority of african-american voters their do not vote or otherwise engage in politics. In the most recent elections local elections in ferguson. African-americans accounted for only one-third of those who cast votes. With the result being that most elected officials and policymakers who control police department there and the courts. Are white. It seems obvious to me. Ferguson and elsewhere. Policing practices and court policies if they are to change for the better reflecting the wishes of the community. And protect and serve all the citizens equally. It is the african-american voters themselves. Enfranchise and empower themselves and get involved in their local government. Well of course we can no way in no way condone or tolerate any and justices. Perpetrated by the police or courts. And with other concerned americans will actively do my part. To ensure that we become a more just and fair nation i further believe it is not enough frankly. For african-american communities simply to protest. Or riot. When policing and court activities occur to them. That seem unjust. Well we must all work together to end all manifestations of racial injustice and discrimination. African-american separately need to get involved in local politics. Disenfranchisement. So that they can shape the policies of their police and courts. That have jurisdiction over their lives. Alright. The third the fourth point that i wish to make i'm jumping ahead just a little bit. After all the arguing posturing is done about the particular recent instances of black males being shot and killed by police. The fact remains that all across america today in far too many community. Police shoot and kill black males all out of proportion. Involved in serious crime and this is a grave racial injustice. That must be addressed. Wild is undeniably true. And this is a fact many conservatives. In defending the current realities of american policing. What is undeniably true. The crime rate for african-american males is significantly higher. From dad of white males. The number of black males who are shot to death by police. Is statistically astronomical. A recent study by propublica. Reports that young black males are shot. Dead by police at 21 times the rate. Young white man. And recent fbi statistics show that most police shootings in america involve either young black man. Or mentally. Yahoo. Charles blow the african-american columnist who writes so compellingly about racing america recently pointed out. That while what most white criminals receive and expect to have the privilege of arrest without incident. Many blacks do not expect. Or receive that same privilege at the hands of police. I agree with washington post columnist eugene robinson who recently observed. American police are much too quick to shoot. Especially on this is where racism and injustice come in. Especially when the confrontation involved. A young black male. And a quick aside here if i might. At least two aspects of current american policing policies. But most immediately changed i think jack stiefel for getting me on this radar. My radar. We must reverse the recent militarization. Of local police. That has led to extremely deadly and totally unnecessary weapons and techniques being employed. In local confrontations and we must challenge the technology sector. And policing experts to develop and produce. Less-lethal memes. Of controlling and subduing law offenders be they white black brown yellow whatever. All right now that's how i arrived at my sis point. The police in this nation. Have a very very difficult demanding and dangerous job. Which sometimes leads to shooting incident. And the line between justified an unjustified shootings. Is often unclear and complicate. One obvious truth. That makes policing in america so difficult and dangerous is a fact. That america is absolutely awash in firearms. It is estimated that there between 200 million weapons out there close to a firearm available for every man woman and child in america isn't this a great nation. The best estimate. Are the there are about 400 justifiable police shootings. In the united states every year but in great britain. Whether have firm gun control laws and fewer weapons in the hands of citizens. British citizens are about 100 times less likely to be shot by a police officer. 10 americans. Last year the british police all of them together. Fired their weapons at ota love 3 times. With no deaths result. And the previous year one british citizen was killed by police gunfire compared to well over 400 americans who died. At the hands of police last year. Understandable reason. American police pull their weapons out of their holsters as frequently. Is because of the preponderance of guns in the hands. Of the population. But again the larger truth. That our whole culture must focus on. Is it american police. Need to have a much more restrained gun use policy. Policies practices and procedures. Far too many americans.. Far too many we've already observed and far too many of them are young. And black. And nail. That key point once again reiterated there is one more difficult thing. The i need to say here today. The sad and troubling truth. Is it many young black males in america are in crisis. Behaviors are spinning out of control. In many ways that leads to another thing's dangerous confrontations with police in the courts. And this was somehow be addressed. In several different ways. Let me speak personally and frankly for a moment. Before i moved to vero beach five years ago i spent 12 years. Living in the heart. Of washington d.c.. We're almost all of the street crime and police shootings. Well over 95%. Involve young black males. Who are on the wrong side of the law. Now we all know. The thera many obvious and interconnected reasons for the high crime rate and high incarceration rate among young african-american males. Generations of poverty. Discrimination and unemployment inferior school spirit robbing life's living situations broken families absent father. The self-defeating culture of street thug. Which is so common in cities. Like washington. To name just a few of the deficits in the challenges young black males. Chase. But. Even though i is an american liberal. Who wants our society to compassionately address each of these deficits. Which must be a course understood as having. Genesis in slavery jim crow. The fact remains. The some aspects of young black male culture over which individuals do have much control. Put everyone in danger and must be addressed. When i lived in our nation's capital. And this was particularly true after i had a gun pulled on me one night during an unsuccessful mugging. If i was walking home. After dark and saw two young black males in dark hoodies swaggering with their pants hanging down walking toward me. I would cross the street. And if they subsequently cross the street i would. Anyone living in washington d.c. black or white will tell you. Given the high crime rate among young black males. And they're often ominous street demeanor. It is not racism. Or prejudice or discrimination to get out of there way it's common sense. I tell you this all by way of affirming that i can personally understand. The caution and nervousness and yes the stereotyping. Which many inner-city police officers feel when they similarly have to interface on the street. With young black males with attitude. Let me some all this up by returning to the events of ferguson that august night. It appears undeniable. Did michael brown made a series of terrible. Personal decisions. He robbed the store. A shopkeeper. He refused to obey police officers instructions. Police car and physically struggle with the officer. Series of terrible personal decisions. But i believe. In the terrible outcome. What i am saying here. And this points to the disagreement. American liberals and american conservatives have. When it comes to understanding the problem of the high-crime behavior of young african-american male. And that isn't there two polar ways to see the problem. What is april's to solely blame generations of poverty. And racial discrimination. Does focusing their attention on remedial program spending money you know. So forth. And the american conservative to blame the failings of the black family. Black culture and black male behavior. For the dangerous epidemic of crime in our cities and dust conservative. Focus their attention on the need you've all heard it for personal responsibility. On the part of black families black culture. And young black males. Now course we can't easily reconcile or choose between these two polar ways of seeing the problem. In spite of the fact that i'm a dyed-in-the-wool american liberal. To seeing some validity. Perspectives expressed by both sides. I believe that is we together address to sad american legacy of racism and oppression. Which governmental resources we also need to address the crisis. Personal responsibility. And unacceptable behavior. That still plagues so many young black males. And of course it is entirely important to remember this is not just young black inner-city behavior. The needs examination in some communities it's young man in latino gangs. For making bad decisions. And endangering everyone in a mini royal places in america it's out of control. Young white men. Who were terrorizing. Their community. So maybe the problem is just young been i don't know. But the nationwide debate about ferguson. Has of necessity focused all our attention. On the crisis that exists among young black males. And our society will ignore that at its peril. I can only hope that many of you see the same complexities here that i do. Open. Considering the intersecting validity of both liberal and conservative thought here. Alright it's time for me to bring this very long-term into a close. Apologize for going on that i just needed to it the one connect. What i tried to say this morning is at ferguson and other incidences of young black males dying at the hands of our police. Rather than further dividing us as a nation or tragically providing us with one more opportunities. Liberals and conservatives talk past one another and blaming each other for the problem. Ferguson can provide us all together with the opportunity to once again focus. On race relations. And the positive and purposeful direction. As a multicultural multiracial nation. It will take a lot of work. On the part of a lot of people. To begin changing the entrenched dynamics that lead young man like michael brown. To die at the hands of officers like darren wilson. Police and courts and government leaders need to systematically review how they operate in their communities. American principles of fairness and equity. Applied to all. Second we need to continue as a society to allocate. Significant governmental resources to undo the steel residual inequality that remains. From the scourge of american racism and inequality. To move america toward a place where all communities have adequate housing. Adequate employment good schools and healthcare. And the opportunity for all citizens to live in a safe. Clean and peaceable neighborhood. And 3rd. We need to support social understandings. And cultural behavioral expectations which demand that all citizens respect one another. And refrain from violence. Disrespectful. And criminal. Conn.. I miss martin luther king holiday in the year 2015. Race relations are at least a strain. And endangered as they have been at any other time in our recent history. Let us therefore promise ourselves this day that we each year. Will lend ourselves. To being as the old. 1960s saying goes. Part of the solution. Rather than part of the problem. Let's work on transforming our culture. Rather than blaming others. And most important of all. But if keep our hearts open to every last one of our fellow americans be they. Black. White yellow brown. Or some other wonderful shade of what it means to be a human being. Martin luther king day this year perhaps more than others. Set this work is as urgent. As it is difficult. So let us want it once again get about that work. America can i pray it. Someday soon. Become true to its promise of life. Liberty. And the pursuit of happiness. For all. Paul. The part is in bold. Beautiful struggle for a new world. This is the calling of a children of god. We are caught in an inescapable network. Mutuality. Tried in singles. Augusta me. Whatever affects one directly. If we are to have peace on earth. Our loyalties must transcend our race. Class. And our nation. True compassion is more than flinging a coin. It's not haphazard. I'm superficial. It comes to say that an edifice which produces beggars. Restructure. Call me about that work. Going peace. And unrest.

uufvb_org

2012May27Sermon128.mp3

I want to begin this morning. In the spiritual place. That you should all visit. Every morning. That is a place of gratitude and thing. I'm grateful. I had a safe. An enjoyable trip. And more details on that in a moment. I'm grateful my body was up to the physical challenges it faced and at least of equal importance that my spirit. Was up to the mental challenges which really the right is more mental than physical. I am grateful for the many wonderful people who rode with me. And encouraged and supported me the dirty dozen is we called ourselves the 12. Riders who went from costa mesa to savannah. And then i am by the way there wasn't one sane person. Among those 12. 11 men and one very crazy woman. Who who can out pedal most of us. And then my two companions who rode from savannah. Down to vero beach with me bill penney was with us this morning bill where are you there you are. L&i. President of the marine bank and trust and mark sherman is already off with his wife hiking and arizona no no moss under that guy's feet. And. I'll be the spouses shari and karen. What provided are our sag support and gear vehicle and wonderful lunches and just in. Incalculable. So i want to thank. Thank them. And thanks and gratitude also the many people here at usb-b who made this ride. And it's. Success as a community outreach effort in the social justice project. Possible. First the board of trustees more than a year ago i came to them and said could i take a month sabbatical. To raise money for world in local hunger and they said yes. And by the way i said it that time i wanted to raise $10,000 in rogers. Mackowiak and don croce looked at me and said. $10,000. This is vero beach we're going to raise $50,000. So by god we did. So i wanted to thank them in particular. Adan croteau who agreed to chair the ride to be hunger. For some 10 months. His as i wrote in the blog. Play.. The wonderful roll. And so many other members of our congregation who stepped up to make this right as success earl beasley who developed the website. Earl kirkbride and kristen jolly who helped with the administrative tasks jim daly. Helped my blog. Bella. Delorio. And others. Community. Just helped in so many. And the many generous members. Of the miscommunication who made significant personal contribution. I asked nathan about 35%. Of the $50,000 total was raised. True members. We were by far the. Generous. Component. Of the ride to be. And then how can any of this be helped be possible without the help of two ministers. The first is sitting with me right now we will you please stand up. Will you please tell her how much you appreciate. She provided pastoral care to this congregation for an entire month. Cheetah. Worship guided guidance and leadership in office time she was just an indispensable. Hazard affiliate minister. And then john curotto back in a michigan i've already thanked him several times by phone and email. But. I know you enjoyed. Him and his quirky. A style of leadership also and. And the many other people on the treasure coast community. Who. Who pitched in. Bevan marty parents your bag i see you back there in the shadows stand up. That these people did the publicity for the ride. And. None of. You saw an article about this every what three or four days for the last 6 months. Bevin marty so they were just and they think i didn't intrigue with this project and committed to it morally and spiritually. And i just they were just fabulous. And of course there are members of the my local rotary club and other rotary clubs at waldo's restaurant and its manager lee olsen who. The splash party on. And patrick. So many many other people. Who helped in the media. The media including the press journal which took such a keen interest. In the ride to beat. And so many other citizens i can't we kept getting checks from people i did not know. Wonderful. So yes i rode the 3,300 miles and i guess in some measure that some sort of accomplishment. But again nothing of importance and service to others could have been done without many many. And something of real importance. And service to others did happen. We raised. 50. Thousand dollars. To address world and local hunger the denominational magazine which you'll get this week. It has lifted up this. Does something. The whole denomination. To know about. I'm very proud of. But even more significant. Then the $50,000 is what the ceo of the. Harvest food & outreach center austin has said again and again. But this project. More than raised the money it raised a consciousness. In our community. About the reality of hunger. And the need for us. The caring and civilized. To address and diminish that. Scourge. As i've repeatedly said to the press. And it was in the clip. On the fox news clip. You saw. This week. The most fundamental of all human rights. Is to live a life. Free of hunger and desperation. It is my deepest prayer that all the effort which ion so many others put in on this. To make the ride to be hungry. Will have a lasting effect. On the way this community pays attention. And address is a scourge of hunger and. And change the way we understand ourselves. Relation. One another. And by the way. On my meditation across the united states. Every time i do this i am shocked by the poverty. Native american poverty in arizona and new mexico. Very rural poverty. Are the poverty in mississippi the poverty and techs. Poverty in oklahoma. In georgia and alabama and arkansas. Florida. Everywhere i wrote on these secondary roads i saw people living. Trailers i can't count them. Rusty trailers. Thousands many tso's. More trailers than homes. This is not a prosperous. This is a country divided by. In the prosperous. And. This trip across. Poor. Small. Communities of america. Reminded me. How much. Society. Over the last 10 months which is how long we've been working on this project. We have accomplished something real and good for our. Family. And i am. 2. So how was the ride for me. What if anything did i learn. I must begin with a little bit of truth-telling you might think that in a long cross-country ride like this. You know where sometimes i rode alone for an hour or two at a time. But i'll be able to stand back and take a true. And total existential look at my life and think about all my relationships and all of my. My every aspect of my life but the truth is that for me and for most of the other riders and i talked about this. Most days it's enough. The focus on what you're doing. Tell your little butt. From one town to the next and get to the next motel. I did not have any sweeping existential revelation. Okay i haven't figured out all of humanity's problems or my own. I don't have any grand sweeping existential or eternal observations. To share with you that just overwhelmed me and clarity that's not the way i ride like the. But that said. Several of what's immediately store some of life's greatest truths were reconfirmed from. And i specifically the sunday before i left some of you were paying attention remember. I talked about for spiritual practices that i was going to try to do on this ride. And i want to revisit those spiritual practices and tell you how i did. First on april 15th that sunday i told you that as i rode across. Is vast and wonderful land i was going to try. And here's our first visual gym. I was going to try to sit up. And pay attention. Now that may seem. Like a a simple and obvious enough. Truth. But i can tell you that there is a tendency. A long demanded ride like this. To put your head down. And not really notice what you're going through the ride leader told about the two years ago they did the same ride on one of these guys on the ride. Always had his hands down in the low and once going up a hill in new mexico on the freeway shoulder he hit the back of a semi tractor-trailer truck that was parked there. He didn't see it. He did not see he's he didn't hurt himself he just hit the back of the semi tractor-trailer fell off the bike. And what's that. You you can you can lose sight of of seeing things. Instead of sitting up and radically noticing and appreciating the environment and. With what you're going through it's easy enough to miss a lot is avastin lovely country. What's a one of my rolls with the people that i was. In addition to trying to pay attention myself. We'd be in the middle of arizona st look at that beauty. Look at that glorious pewter. Or. Look at that wonderful cloudformation or while these grass is over here in the right look at those. They're beautiful and the other riders with. Good luck up in it and look and say yeah that's great. They want something sarcastic. In my blog one day i found myself alone on the road in oklahoma. And it was a very straight road and there were like hundreds of telephone poles. They were getting smaller and smaller and smaller and smaller and rig grain elevators way down the road. And i wrote this. Today i rode alone for some 30 miles of the 112. And for a while i paid. Circular tension. To the songbird. That were sitting on either the low barbed wire fencing. Or the high telephone lines that stretched along the long. Straight highway. As i passed many of the birds. Cried out a sweet solitary song as if they were greeting. Perhaps they were paying. No mind to me at all. But i took pleasure in focusing on their warbling. And a help me to push myself down the road. Making my trip more effortless. When you pay attention. The world of ours is filled. With small. And saving. Pleasures. So i tried again and again. On this ride to call myself and those who rode with me. Back to mindfulness and awareness of the richness that was everywhere around us. And as i said on the sunday before i left. Mindfulness. Pain. To the world you were in. Is the most fundamental of all spiritual practice. For without. Search purposeful attack. We miss so much. What is put. Unlife. Delicious play. It's always there. But many times. Silver rider spanked me. For my reminders. The trip. Pick up there. Cell. I did pretty well. Secondly i told you i was going to appreciate the flats. And what i meant by that was. Simply that when a flat came along when an unexpected inconvenience or complication came along. Rather than snarl and get all angry and get my blood pressure whipped up about how life was inconveniencing me. I was going to. Relax and get off the bike and talk with the three or four other people and help. The flatiron. Just enjoy that process. The i-10 to be an impatient. Goal oriented person. So i have to work. A depreciating flats or going with the flow or accepting. Bumps in the road i have to work at. That i will grant i will grant you the. But as i've discovered on these cross-country trips. When i when i do managed. Go with what's happening. I have much less anxiety and i have a lot more fun. I find when i settle in. To what needs to be you know it is what it is. When i settle into. What is is. The whole day goes a lot more. Easily. For example. You know where the breakfast with the waitresses slow or we're all trying to get on the road. We just simply have to realize that we will get on the road. We will get to the next motel the day will pass. It will be just fine just relax. Breakfast is going to take a little longer. No i'm not saying. That is a worthy spiritual practice to always submit to every difficult. Comes our way. But i will affirm and was reminded nearly constantly. Of the wisdom of health of moving with the river of your life rather than fighting upstairs. Constant. With what is. Life is after all simply what it is. As opposed to the ideal we imagine. And it wasn't water once said. You know the grumpy of the ones who are constantly mad at life. We're not dividing itself entirely. Your happiness. That is the truth. Life is not in the business of devoting itself. Do your happy. So get over it. Third. I said i was going to participate in paceline. And the canapes line is when a group of riders all lineup. And they break they got their going into a headwind and you follow each other very closely. And the lead rider will ride up front for about a mile. And then he or she will peel off and go all the way to the back and everyone takes their turn. Pulling. Through the wind you could very tired when you pull. But it's like a synchronized dance. One of the rides one of the days we had a big head when they're like five of us doing a paceline. When you're in a paceline it's. You can hear the hum. Of the five people's wheel. It's like a machine it's like a song. You just hear the five of you you're like one organism. It's really cool. So. My metaphor here. Is that in our lives we need to. To create paceline. People all the time. Contribute. To cooperate. To take your turn at the front and then take your turn resting. In true community true reciprocity. It's a very simple thing and it was a lot of fun. Yeah we didn't always. Coastlines if there was a tailwind people about 10 to. To get spaced out and that's just fine. But. Paceline is a is a metaphor. That no one in in on a bike ride or in. Community life here there's no such thing really is splendid isolation. You never can be splendidly isolated all the time you have to hook up. With others. And create. A genuine. Community purposeful. Unison. Anna paceline never happen. Without your consent. And it never happens. Without you willing. To expand your share. Of the opera. Paste lines can never happen if you're always the one. At the back of the line sanji this is fun. I'm being drafted i'm being pulled. By others know it requires true reciprocity. As every community. Does the. Navigation everybody has to pitch in and help. We're coming up on a capital drive free. Everyone has to be involved in that. In our wider community of. I hear in the trash. That's the case. To the forest spiritual practice i promise. Was i was going to stop complaining. And be grateful. And. That's perhaps the biggest and trickiest spiritual practice i committed to on the right. Because there's always something to complain about on a ride like this i guarantee you. Deanna kept with me that little purple arm. i left it on my desk by mistake was going to bring it to you. Again this unity minister in topeka kansas. His current location is noticing they were grumpy. And he got his arm bands for the man and the idea was he were supposed to go 21 days without complaining and every time you catch yourself complaining. You have to ship the item down to the other wrist. But he read that somewhere that a psychologist it takes 21 days to develop a new habit in your life. And so i took that little. That little purple armband i put it behind my rear light on my seat stem. To remind me that i was not going to complain. As things. When a lawn. And.. And i did i did really well at. I was considered the end of the ride the ride leaders gave me the map that we had used. And every of every motel they gave me this map because they said i was very positive and helpful. And all the writers wrote little horse that's upside down. All the all the writers wrote little notes thanking me for the way i rode. And the way i participated with the right i was very pleased with that. But i got to tell you the truth. I had the nerve. When i got the email addresses two days before the ride of the twelve riders i sent them all my sermon. That i preached here. The previous sunday. So they all knew what i was promising. And two of the riders went to the albuquerque church and heard me deliver a sense of the same sermon. So under unlike day9 i was in a restaurant for breakfast. And i turned it so my companions to buy that. Waitress is taking her sweet time isn't she. And steve heard the sermon said is that an observation or a complaint. Evan from that point on all during the ride anytime somebody complained it was is that an observation or a complaint. So that did come back to haunt me just a little bit. I did pretty well but. You know. We all liked on and steve who it was a is it as an active drew he said. God i spent my whole life kvetching you expect me to stop complaining. Just because it's a good idea i'm jewish i can patch. Everything about how humor was used. Every morning we basically had breakfast in these little you know of hampton inns and. And daisy and stuff like that you know this little eggs things that they. They buy some where frozen is little like little flying saucer egg things that sort of make like eggs. We got like really sick of those. So on about day 21 of the writers greg laurie from from california decided to come up with a list of things that you could use those eggs things for on a trip other than eating them. And we have some pictures exfoliating pad. That's one thing you can do with those eggs. A yamaka. That was for steve's benefit website bike shoe insole. Case your shoe is hurting a little bit. Chamois pad seat cushions a little extra. Cushion. There that's it all right if you just the idea there was another one of him sitting in the bathtub using it as a soapbox. Anna coaster log into other things. So william. We tried to use humor. As opposed to complaining to the staff about the damage that we hated. Animated big it made a big difference. All right and then there's one more spiritual practice. Beyond. Not complaining and just being grateful for. The fact that you're out on the ride. Another spiritual practice what i decided to do was to greet. Everyone that i met degree doll. And what i meant by this is that as i. I traveled across the country is if i pass a farmer who is. You know driving a fence post and i would. I would say hello. Kids sleepily waiting for their school buses early in the morning like cuz we left fort smith arkansas there all these kids waiting. I'd say hello to him and the other writers started to greet people to. The utility workers stringing lines way out in oklahoma we just i just start saying a lot of these people in the young mother pushing her stroller and infant down since mall. Sidewalk in a small town. I just made a practice of everybody i pass i just say hi how are you. To the amusement of some of my fellow writers i also extended this to animals. So when i when i pass a field of cows i would i would say hello girls. Hello girls. Even though i knew some of them were guy cows. And with horses i'd say hello mr. ed. Hello miss daniel they look at you. You know they're behind defensive did you see animals looked so i said a loaded. Dogs and cats and goats. And we saw one herd of antelope actually. I said hello to every living thing. Now this may seem commonplace. And unimportant but to me. It was it's a validation. Of our seventh principle of the interdependent web of all existence of which. Park just to acknowledge. And validate life around us. Weather in. People. A person or an animal. It's just. Very important. Acknowledge. And affirm. Strangers. In our midst so that was my fifth. Spiritual practice. Being connected. To the life that. Well. It's time for me to wrap this. And it feels really good to be home here in vero beach. Again once. Amongst you all. Here in the car. For the last month i have been in a purposeful journey. A ride to beat hunger a trip across. The wanderers expansive united states. Can make a positive difference. In my world. Again whatever i personally accomplish. It would mean little without the generous and principal. Part of so many. In a literal sense we all did this ride to. You were all for 2. Even though. You didn't do much saddle toy. You were you were very much. And closing. I would remind you that just like my month-long trek across america which had a beginning. A middle. And an end. So to do all our journeys. Through this world. They are finite. One day the journey will be completed. For each one of us. This is tumi ultimately not a sad. Or a tragic truth this realization. That we do not have forever. That all journeys. Have an end. For our faith teaches us. In the meantime. Until the journey closes. In the meantime we are all free. Powerfully. And wondrously free. To give our lives. Real purpose. Real meaning. And real joyfulness. Everyday we find ourselves open opening our eyes. We have yet another chance. Just stand up. To make choices. And build satisfying and responsible relationship. With other life in person. And yes that can include bellowing a cows. Hello girls. That's a relationship. But more usefully. It means. Good while you were alive offering the gifts of your spirit. Your care. Your compassion. Your enthusiasm and energy. Time and devotion your love and. And life around you. Who need and want. The best. That is in you. So let's. Saddle up. And get out there on the road that stretches. So invitingly before each one. Yes there will be headwinds. Flat tires. And rain and sleet. And lousy. Egg breakfasts. And barking dogs. And aching. But if we move through our days. With as much purpose and joy as we can muster. I assure you.

uufvb_org

2013Dec15Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. It's a little cloudy and a little jeffy but how many of you talked to relatives and friends in the northeast this week. Three storms i talked to collins yesterday and washington is it how's the weather you said pleading raining 34° i said 82. Welcome. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we are occurring gation of open minds. Loving hearts and helping hands people seeking to become the best people we can even as together we work. To make our world a better place. Can we say it every sunday. You are welcome here. You are welcome here just as you come to us this morning. Whether you were young or old new to town or have been here your whole life with you were gay or straight. Black or white or latino or some other wonderful expression of humanity. Whether you were feeling on top of the world this morning. Or down in the dumps or somewhere in between we welcome you. In all of your particularity and need. We hope you'll find our service meaningful and enriching and you'll find something here this morning to take with you. It will give your life renew joy and purpose. For the weeks and days ahead. Well they are ubiquitous you know you'll see them all over town at this time of year those white car magnets and flooring you to keep christ. In christmas. Keep christ in christmas what is the message here. Well for some drivers that an expression of their personal commitment i think to keep christmas. Primarily a spiritual and religious holiday inn. Who can take exception with that. But for other sadly. It is a reflection of how upset they are that america. Is an increasingly religiously diverse nation. Where the christian majority and they are that. Can no longer assume or expect that their beliefs. Will receive universal public expression. These drivers cultural blood boils when someone says happy holidays to them. Instead of the merry christmas they want. And they view this inclusive language happy holidays. As a sinister quote-unquote war on christmas. For my part of the unitarian universalist i much might suggest and maybe i'll make them at half past them out to you. A different car magnet that implores you to keep. Jesus. In christmas. I would have us ever mindful at this time of year. Of the bulb and compassionate message with with jesus of nazareth. Whose birth is celebrated this season brought to our world. That message is as radical and challenging today as it was 2000. Years ago. And the message is. Love your neighbor. Share what you have with a. Feed the hungry. House. The homeless. Visit. The prisoner. Pair. For the vulnerable. Embrace the outcast. Visit the sick. And remember. But you are. Your brother and sisters. You are. Your brothers. And sister's keeper. What could be more spiritually important in this fragile season of love and hope. Then keeping. Jesus. In christmas. And reaching out to those in your world. With love. And compassion. And gentleness. And care. The reading this morning is by dr. mark ranked professor of social welfare at washington university. Prepare to the new york times on november 3rd 2013. Its title. Poverty in maine in america is mainstream. Two topics in american society have more myths and stereotypes surrounding them. Then poverty. Misconceptions that distorts both our politics and our domestic policy making. These common misconceptions include the following notions. That poverty affects a relatively small number of american. That the poor are impoverished. For years at a time. That most of those in poverty live in cities. Inner city. That too much welfare assistance is provided. And that poverty is ultimately. A result of not working hard enough. Although pervasive each of these assumptions is flat-out. Wrong. Contrary to popular belief. The percentage of the population that directly encounters poverty. Is exceedingly high. My research indicates that nearly 40% of americans between the ages of 25 and 60. Will experience at least one year below the official poverty line during that.. And 54%. Will spend a year in poverty or near poverty. Even more astounding. If we hadn't related conditions like welfare use near poverty and unemployment. Four out of every five americans will encounter one or more of these events. In addition. Overall american children. Will at some point during their childhood reside in a household. That uses food stamps for a. of time. Put simply. Poverty. Is a mainstream event. Experienced by a majority of americans. For most of us. The question is not whether we will experience poverty but when. The world poverty strikes a majority of the population. The average time most people spend in poverty is relatively short. The standard image of the poor has been doubt of an entrenched underclass. Impoverished for years at a time. Well this captures a small and important slice of papa poverty. It is also a highly misleading picture of its more widespread and dynamic. Nature. Most of us have been poor. Most of us have been poor at least for a while. Events like losing a job having work hours cut back. Experiencing a family split. Or developing a serious medical problem. All have the potential to throw household. Into poverty. Just as poverty is widely dispersed with respect to time. It is also widely dispersed disrespect. To place. Only approximately 10% of those in poverty live in extremely poor. Urban neighborhoods. Households in poverty can be found throughout a variety of urban and suburban landscapes. As well as in small towns and communities across rural america. This dispersion of poverty has been increasing over the past 20 years. Particularly. With it within suburban areas. Along with the image of inner-city poverty there's also a widespread perception that. Most most individuals in poverty. Arnon white. This is another myth. According to the latest latest census census bureau numbers. Two-thirds of those below the poverty line 2/3. Identified themselves. As white. A number that is held rather steady over the past several decades. What about the generous assistance we provide to the poor. Contrary to political rhetoric. The american social safety net is extremely weak. Infield with gaping hole. Furthermore it has become even more even weaker over the past 40 years. Because of various welfare reform and budget-cutting measures. We currently expend among the fewest resources. Within the industrialized countries in terms of pulling families out of poverty and protecting them from falling into it. And the united states. He's one of the few developed nations. That does not provide universal healthcare. Affordable childcare. Or reasonably priced low income housing. As a result our poverty rate. Our poverty rate is approximately twice. The european average. The united states has exceedingly high levels of impoverishment. And many who find themselves in poverty are often shocked. Little assistance the government actually provides them. To get through tough times. Finally. The common explanation for poverty. Has emphasized the lack of motivation. The failure to work hard enough. And poor decision-making in life. Yep my research and that of others has consistently found that the behaviors and attitudes of those in poverty. Basically mirror. Those of mainstream america. Likewise. A vast majority of the poor. Have worked extensively. And will do so again. Poverty is ultimately. Result of failings at economic. And political levels. Rather than individual shortcomings. And then doctor rank includes. The solutions to poverty. How to be found in what is important for the health. Of any family. Having a job pays a decent wage. Having the support of. Good healthcare. Childcare. And having access. To a first-rate education. Yet these policies will become a reality in america only when we begin to truly understand that poverty. Is an issue of us. Rather than issue. Of them. Hirons the mornings rating. So this morning i continue my year-long sermon series which will explore some of our culture's most persistent and perplexing moral dilemmas. And arguments of the ethical nature. Today focusing on the issue of poverty in the poor as you've already surmised. Which has long troubled and divided the american people. I have chosen this particular december sunday just two weeks before the christmas holiday. When most americans celebrate the birth of jesus of nazareth because he. Perhaps more than any other of humanity's great moral and ethical teachers. Was profoundly concerned about the poor. And the disadvantaged of his time. What better time than for us to reflect on our attitudes. And actions regarding. The poor. Over the course of my sermon series i will return again and again to my main and i hope obvious and logical supposition which is at these. Moral dilemmas these. And the ethical arguments that result from them and divide us as a society because. Each of them involve worthy principles and values that do stand in natural opposition. And contradiction and tension to one another. This is implied in the very word dilemma. Which one encyclopedia says a dilemma is a problem. Offering to possibilities. Neither of which is practically acceptable and another definition is a situation involving. A choice between equally unsatisfactory alternatives. A problem or situation. Seemingly incapable. Of a satisfactory solution. And so with. Each of these dilemmas that i will explore in the series. Anyone i think with the least bit of moral imagination and sophistication. Can see the integrity the power and the reasonably reasonableness of either side of the pro con argument. And yet many in our culture insist when they when they discuss these things of either saying well you either alright or all right i'm right you're wrong. And this is not. A good thing because. The obvious truth is that no matter which side you take on any of these dilemmas. You end up abrogating or subjugating some were the principles and values you believe in. So over the course of the series i hope sincerely to do justice. Do both sides of each dilemma. And because i can see both sides but. With all this fair-minded and balance in mind i will also remember the wise words i've quoted them before of. Folk singer pete seeger who surely had it right it said yeah. We know all know there are two sides to every issue. They're two sides to a piece of flypaper also and it makes a great deal of difference to the fly. Which side he lands on. In the real world we live in then. We are often obliged in the end to decide for one moral viewpoint or another. Even when we understand that choice is far from perfect. So with all that said let me turn to the issue of poverty in the poor and see if i can bring. A little more moral clarity and insight to the debate that is ranging raging now so fiercely. Between american liberals. And american conservatives. I want to begin by framing and as i understand them the two polar moral positions which stand and stark moral and contrast and moral opposition to one another. When it comes to the poor and they are both familiar to you. If you are paying even the least bit of attention. The american dialogue that's happening right now about poverty. And the poor. Here is the progressive view of poverty in the poor on the one hand. It is simply the governmental remediation and support programs are needed. To address a painful legacy of long-standing inequalities and injustice has. Of the american social and economic system. You have american liberals and progressive who won these early and at-at turns out economically sluggish years of the 21st century. Believe poverty remains largely the painful legacy of long-standing inequalities. And injustice has in our culture. And they must be addressed by programs remedial and support programs. Efforts designed to help the poor break. That famous cycle of poverty. And achieve working or at least working or middle-class stability and prosperity. Liberals and progressives in america believe that society must patiently work. To continue to provide the poor. With support and opportunities to undo generations. A pirate ship. And discrimination and neglect actively helping as a culture they believe we should. Help them to break the cycle of poverty. So that's the one view. On the other hand you have this view. The conservative view of poverty in the poor. Expensive governmental anti-poverty programs have systematically fail. Do endor even reduce poverty over recent decades. Until the poor the conservatives argue must take personal responsibility. And quote-unquote. Pull themselves up by their own bootstraps now. This is a wide and deep golf in perspective and belief. On the one hand you have conservatives and free-market laissez-faire capitalist who believe poverty persist. After all the billions of dollars that the anti-poverty programs have spent. It continues to exist. Largely because the poor have been unwilling or unable to take personal responsibility. Diligently apply themselves work hard make the right choices and pull themselves up. If you listen to conservative media outlets as i admit i sometimes do. You know what i'm driving there's nothing like rush limbaugh. Or or a mark levin to keep me awake. They regularly and angrily and bill o'reilly and and sean hannity and glenn beck. Rail against acts supported governmental programs. Intended to help the poor suggesting up all these programs. Accomplishes unjustly take assets and wealth. From the successful who's entrepreneurial skill create welfare jobs for the society as a whole it just takes money from them. While redistributing it to what they believe are the habitually poor. Who was the result of this unwise largest naturally become quote. Lazy freeloaders and leeches. Depending forever on government handouts. The conservative position. Is not only that the overall economy is dangerously crippled by these expensive governmental programs for the poor. Because at that because that tax money. What otherwise fuel the economy. But also the poor themselves become. Socially and emotionally crippled by this aid. Losing all their motivation to work hard and provide themselves. Provide for their families as one progressive commentator puts it. Those on the american right. Tend to believe that becoming impoverished is primarily driven by a lack of motivation to help oneself. Which is made worse by government entitlements. They argue that government aid will be sent the incentivized the individual from going out and finding work on quote. Does many conservatives suggest that the only way to alleviate poverty. In the long run. To help the poor is to kill. Or at least starve. Expensive anti government programs thereby lowering the taxes. Reducing the other financial burdens and drains on the wealthy. Which they argue. The rising tide of free-market capitalism will lift all boats that's the conservative argument. So there is a huge and increasingly angry and judgemental divide. Between american liberals and american conservatives on this issue. And it leads to bitter public policy debates about how best america. Should address. The consistent and destructive. Top problem of poverty. Let's take a moment and to understand that we. Understand the true dimensions of the problem of poverty in america today on jack's reading alluded that i'm going to skip over some of this. Because of time. The actual number in our community here on the treasure coast of people living in poverty is about 20%. With many many more of our citizens in this area covering an economic. Does the desperation right near the poverty line. For today's purposes we would be best to admit that about one and five at least one in five americans. With over 22% of our children. Live at a substandard level. Adam's mark rank in this morning's reading pointing out poverty is mainstream. The average time most people spend in poverty is relatively short. Poverty is found everywhere in all kinds of community and it is not a quote-unquote black or latino problem it is found in all racial and ethnic groups no matter how long they have been in america. So poverty is persistent. And pervasive and it is a pernicious problem. In american life but the moral question remains. Which side is right. About how best. To alleviate or reduce the sad specter of american life. The liberals who want to keep on spending. Billions. Of our shared dollars. Or the conservatives who passionately believe that only the poor by their diligence character and hard work. Can break that cycle of pop. Play honestly believe as i have with each dilemma i have explored so far in the series. But the solution to the persistent problem of poverty does in fact lie somewhere. In the middle. I believe that both government and those who find themselves poor. Have a role to play in rectifying the situation. Until i passionately believe as a society we must one. Both. Willfully and wisely continue to invest billions of dollars. To help the poor. What was the same time encouraging and yes perhaps even. Prodding and demanding. Let the poor take just as much responsibility for their own lives. And their own futures as is possible. And on the flip side of his coin. We should reject. The extreme perspectives on both sides. We should reject i think the radical liberal argument. That all anti-poverty programs are necessary efficacious and why. Because surely some of our tax money is not spent well and does not help people break out of poverty and does rob the american economy of some of its vibrancy and momentum. But we should also reject. The radically conservative habit of blaming. Chastising and demonizing the poor. For the difficulties they find themselves in. Because i hope you all understand there are many complicated causes for poverty. Many of which are beyond the direct control of those who experience them at some time in their lives. I am especially distressed by the hostility judgment and condemnation. I've heard directed recently toured the poor in our culture. Popular conservative radio personality rush limbaugh for example. Reals i just looked him up i googled rush limbaugh and the poor. On his daily program recently. He railed against american welfare recipients who he claimed are just lazy spoiled freeloaders. Who are quote-unquote living the high life. With cell phones televisions and computers and recent senator said big bag purses and and cadillacs. What you're being paid for rush limbaugh sinks. Shrinking pool of wealth and job creators. We heard that phrase job creators in the last election. And similarly cable tv personality bill o'reilly in the crying when he calls our presidents culture of dependency and entitlement. I acts as though poverty is somehow a new phenomenon of this administration. And somehow the fault of this democratic party. Recently said there are 57 million americans and now i call him directly. On the dole. Many quote illegitimately including quote. Layabouts. People who game the system and they responsible parents who can't cut it. Because they are uneducated substance abusers and screwed up mentally. Unquote. Now let's be honest and clear here. In this progressively incline congregation. There are no doubt. Some poor people i will say it if you can't. Who on welfare who are lazy. Entitled and who are gaming the system there are some poor who fit that. But to suggest in america today that this describes most or even many. Of those living in poverty is not only an acura. It insults the intelligence. Everyone knows over recent decades due to many factors including economic globalization. The decline of american manufacturing and a growing gap. Between the rich and the poor were 10% of americans own half of everything. Good-paying middle-class jobs. Have been disappearing from the american economy. Making it harder and harder for many of the poor the uneducated and the unemployed to find a way up and out of poverty. What the poor need rather than being demonized or dismissed as being responsible for their own misery. Are the opportunities as the reading today said. For good-paying jobs. Quality education and an open growing vibrant economy. In the meantime i will suggest. They need real compassionate support. Thumbtack supported governmental programs like food stamps. Affordable housing. An affordable healthcare. Here is my bottom-line morally speaking. Here are the two compelling reasons we must care for and about the poor. It is clearly in our societal and economic self-interest. To alleviate or greatly reduce poverty this is the point i made in my newspaper column this week. When i said there can be no vibrancy here in the treasure coast with one out of five household unable to participate in the consumer economy. And the second reason it is clearly the right thing to do. I want to quickly take each of these points intern. There's no doubt. Native americans have long-term prosperity security and social order we cannot tolerate an economic and social order like the one we have now. We're a small percentage of the population of 1 or 2%. Living in extreme well. Wallace significant portion let's call it 30%. Have almost no access to the wealth of society no access to basic. Consumer joy. If there's to be lasting prosperity and peace for the people living on johns island or the people living in gifford. There's got to be greater. Sharing of economic opportunity for all we simply can't live with 30% of our people. In destitution and still have a vibrant economy you want to know the tide that lifts all boats. It's not rich people having billions of dollars to invest no. The real tide that lifts all boats is a long steady economic. Activity of a consumer economy in which everyone can participate. That's what will make us healthy that's what make the rich rich. It will make the rest of us. Better off. And there was a second. Perhaps. Even more important reason beyond the economic. To work both. In any governmental and personal philanthropic spheres to alleviate poverty and that is simply. It is the morally right thing to do. Well this is not. As some christians in our community suggest this is not a christian nation. For our founders were very clear not to establish state religion. This is nonetheless. A nation founded. By the overall moral framework and the sensibilities of the judeo-christian tradition. If you study the scriptures of both judaism and christianity you will find. There is a very clear moral viewpoint on poverty in the poor. Do you know how many references there are in the old and new testaments to poverty and the poor. Well i looked it up. There are over 300. And what does jewett judeo-christian references suggest. Set that if we are to be a people of god and the people of goodness. If we are to be moral and righteous and decent. We must fulfill our human responsibility to care for the poor. To make personal sacrifices and to alleviate their suffering. Both jewish and christian teachings are direct and clear there is very little ambiguity in this. I take. The words of jesus from the book of matthew and jesus is describing what god will say to humanity. 2 as a as a sar scattered before him on judgement day you all know these words he said. To the righteous. Come you are blessed for i was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink i was a stranger and you welcomed me naked and you clothed me i was sick and you visited me i was in prison and you came to me truly i say to you truly. As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren. You did it to me in this one quotation is the essence. Judeo christian moral and ethical social. Tradition. Now i want to be very blunt for a moment. I have a very hard time personally understanding. How so many people in this affluent community in particular who self-identify as christian. Seem no compunction to aggressively district. I have no compunction. Too aggressively disregard and disrespect the poor. Honestly i have to tell you. Much of what passes for christianity today bears little or no resemblance to the compassionate and humane and inclusive gospel of love and care which jesus of nazareth lived and taught just the other day for example at the hospital. At our monthly clergy meeting. A number of those concerned religious leaders were discussing the recent wide community symposium on poverty. Which alerted us to buy one and four people here on the treasure coast. Living in poverty. And wondering when we might mordu is clergy to address this when one of the more vocal conservative christian ministers in the room. Wave like this and said well you know what jesus said. He said you'll always have the poor with you as though that was an excuse for doing damn nothing. In my view. Anyone who calls themselves a christian and is not concerned with poverty is a sino. Christian in name only. But let's not just challenge. By the way i didn't put that the paper this week cuz i want to live unfortunately rust unfortunately i sent the sermon the russ lemon cuz i'm sending in this whole series they said january. But let's not just challenged the cino's the christians let's challenge everybody. For all major religious traditions of the world in their scriptures every last one of them express his deep. Concern and compassion for the for the poor so that only concerned about cino's we better be concerned about gino's. He knows and he knows and binos and you eunos. Let's be a people abroad compassion and i have a pretty fertile imagination. Let's be a people. Abroad compassion and active empathy let's be unitarian universalist. Deeply. Concerned about poverty and the poor i want to be very clear about this once again. It is perfectly legitimate. For americans who follow along different places of the liberal-conservative continuum. To argue the efficacy and effectiveness of particular anti-poverty programs. And policies as the congress is doing right now food stamps for exam. But it is not right. Buy a moral standard. Not the economic in the social biome moral standards. It is not right. To harden your heart against the poor. And turn your back. And your government's back on the suffering in the struggle of people just like you. There will always be tension. In american life and thought about how best to address poverty. And even though i'm a progressive the conservatives have some good ideas to bring to that table. But way we never lose sight. Of the compassion and the duty we have as a religious and moral people. As christmas once again approaches. With its radiant message. Of love. And compassion. Of inclusion. And hope. And oneness. But us quietly promise. As jesus did. To care for the poor. And do what we can buy. To lessen. And reduce the scourge of american life. Anna saying mean she was full. In the last congregation that servile most favorite famous i'm almost the faithful members was brad coolidge. Nephew of. President coolidge. Who once said this in his christmas address. Christmas is not a time. Or a season. But a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill. To be plenteous in mercy. Is to have the real spirit of christmas. If we think on these things they're looking born in us a savior. Andover us will china star. Sending a gleam of hope. Into the world.

uufvb_org

2012May06Sermon128.mp3

Want to start out by with a short reading from corita kent. Always there. Remains just need to explain to each other that we are good. We all have a constant need to be reaffirmed. The individual needs this. The whole human running race needs this needs a ye need to. Big ceremonial pat-on-the-back that says come on. Come on. We can make it. My imagination. You're like most folks in this group i will find that there are. At least a few of you who our mystery fans any knives their mystery fans out there good. And one thing that i've noticed when you trying to solve a mystery is this. That. The person trying to solve it goes over it again and again and again and sometimes it's going over it again and again and again again again. Gets sketches stuck in a rut. And you can't solve it. Until suddenly something or some event. Just turns the story of little bit gifts. What you call a different angle on it. And so you see it differently. Or you start from scratch again and then bingo the mystery is solved. I think that can be said about trying to read or understand ancient tales. Including biblical tales. Now i don't know that i'm going to solve any mystery here this morning. But. I do want to retail or re-examine an old story that we've all heard again and again and again and again and most likely have heard interpreted a certain particular way. And have gotten tired of it. And i want to hopefully get out of that rub take it in a different place. And see the wisdom about well what claudia was talkin about family. Relations family relationships and as she was indicating. You know family means a lot of different kinds of things. You could say this is about human relationships you could also say this is. In an even more general way about grace and grace that we can find in our relationship. And this has become by the way my favorite. My favorite tale about the child-rearing and maintaining your sanity while doing it. So let me let me first tell you the clues we have to work with. By going to the bible and those of you have your bibles with you may want to turn with me to. To the gospel of luke and i will read it as it is told in the revised standard version. There was once a man who had two sons. The younger one said to him. Father give me my share of the property now. So the man divided his property between his two sons. After a few days the younger son's sold his part of the property and left home with the money. He went to a country far away. Where he wasted his money on reckless living he spent everything he had. Then a severe famine spread over the country and he was left without a thing. So he. So he went to work for some citizens in a. Far country who sent him out to the farm to take care. Of the pigs. He wished he could feel himself with the bean pods the pigs ate. But no one gave him anything. To eat. At last he came to his senses and he said. All my father's hired workers have more than they can eat in here i am about to starve. I will get up. I'll go to my father and i'll say. Father i have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer fit to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired workers. So he got up and started. Back to his father. He was still a long way from home and his father saw him. And his heart was filled with pity. Eddie ran and he threw his arms around his son and kissed him. Father the sunset. I have sinned against heaven and against you and i am no longer to fit to be called your son but the father called the servant said bring out the best robe and put it on him put a ring on his finger put shoes on his feet. Then go and get the prize calf and kill it and let's celebrate and have a feast. This son of mine was dead now he's alive he was lost now he's found. And so the feasting began. In the meantime the older son was out in the field. On his way back when he heard when he came close to the house he heard the music and the dancing. So he ain't called one of the servants and said what's going on. All your brother came back home and your father is killed the prize calf because he got him back safe and sound. The older brother was so angry that he would not go into the house. So it's father came out and begged him to come in but he spoke to his father. All these years i've worked for you like a slave and i have never disobeyed your orders and what have you given me not even a goat and now you have this feast for this wasteful son of yours. And when he comes back home you kill the price calf for him. My son. You are always here with me and everything i have is yours. Are we had to celebrate and be happy because your brother was dead. And now he's alive. He was lost and now he. Been found. Well. In my early days of preaching i did the usual bit on this. Which was about a mirror acceptance and forgiveness. And i preached the unitarian congregations and i would hear it afterward. They didn't like the story. And i know how do you know he won't do it again this isn't fair. And i was wondering why this was happening and one fellow named sam said john it's because we're all four sons. Where the achievers. You know we believe in low that gas coops cats and herbal tea not till we are. So i want to look at this again and shake this up. First of all this story is often called the story of the prodigal son. But that's not who it's about. It says here who is it about a man had two sons. It's about the old man. And as we will discover he's a good man. A man who knows who he is he's a good father he's a man of values he's not a softie anything goes he's not a tyrant on my way or the highway. He is a good friend of his adult sons but he's not appear. He's not a buddy. He is a man who in the parlance of today is a single parent. Agricultural entrepreneur. Or as i like to say a farmer. Okay. A man has two sons. Felix and oscar. You understand that right. The odd couple. And i will bet that in most cases if you have more than one kid you have at least one felix and one oscar right. So he has a felix and oscar and just in case you don't know he has felix. Who is a neat freak. This is the kid who got all a's in schools. And who now irons his underwear before he wears it. And i don't use underwear but it sucks and he has his socks not only arranged according to color but in alphabetical order. You know paige brown carl whatever he's got sweetie is. He is the earnest and sensible person. He not only knows what he ought to do he knows what you ought to do. And everybody else. He never takes a drink. Unless it's milk. And then non-fat. The only television he watches is pbs. But not too late because he gets exactly 8 hours of sleep. He is mr. perfect. He dies. Of old age and nobody cares. He never gets married and my mother explains why because nobody's good enough for him. Okay. And then we have oscar. His room is. A mess. He's got barbecue sauce on his t-shirts. And his clothes are all over. If you can find them in the room by the beer cans. And the pizza boxes under the bed are growing something green we don't know exactly what species it is but it's there. Under his pillow is the sports illustrated swimsuit edition. And he has the latest kardashian posters up on the wall. He likes to stay out late with the guys. Where he watches espn. At hooters. With a picture of heinekens. And that's just for him. So the two sons. So oscar the young son. Asked for his inheritance. And he converted to cash. Any leaves. He doesn't write to doesn't call and nobody knows where he is. Now let's look at the story the first thing what does the father do. This is what i want to tell you if you would come for me for counseling about family stuff this story. What does he do he goes on living his own life. He doesn't say. We had big plans for him we wanted them to be a doctor maybe a lawyer. He doesn't his salvation his self-image his self-worth his ability to function is not tied up. In what his son does. The father is not to use. Languages. Trenders you're an enabler. He does not file a missing persons report he doesn't say get out an apb. He doesn't put the kids picture out on milk cartons. He doesn't hire a detective. The father doesn't do this he does he goes on living his life. And he doesn't climb aboard a guilt trip. In other words he doesn't shut down himself you know i should have done this i should have done that. I messed up. He knows that he did the best he could. He is. Patient. Love is patient. He will not interfere in his sons. Making his own mistakes. He's not going to get in the way of his sons making his own mistakes and having the natural consequences follow. He will not play the codependent. So what is it that's happened with oscar. Well oscar takes his inheritance c converted to cash. Annie runs off to vegas. Okay. Arthur cruise ship off miami. Andy blows it all on gambling on liquor on women and the rest e-waste. Okay. So. He blows it all including his credit rating his good name the family's good name. And then the economy goes west. So he has empty pockets and he drifts. And he ends up slopping pigs in iowa. Or okeechobee. And how good of a dick. And he starts thinking. This is fun. And then he comes to his senses that's a great line he comes to his senses. He grows up. Now here is something very important sometimes as parents we don't let this happen. We don't let it happen. We keep bailing our kids out of trouble. Instead of letting the natural consequences take whole weave bellomo. But here he is and he finally comes. 2 senses. He knows he's been wrong. And he knows that he has quote sinned against heaven and his father. Question. Where would that. Since come from. Do we come from his father where did he learn his volume. A man who's not afraid to say this is wrong this is right a man of values. A man who has value some. O.j. kaisa go psychology today had an article about fathers and sons. I suppose it could have been about mothers and daughters about fathers and sons. And it said that. If. A father had a strong sense of values. And communicated it. That the sun would also have a strong sense of values they might be different values. But what the sun would learn. What's that values are important. Values are port the content might be different. As opposed to only think about robbing for yourself you know all the bad jokes about unitarians and sunday school. Mommy we come on we looked at a frog today what was it a male or a female what we talked about. Our mommy we know we studied about cannibalism. What do you think about that mama when you get old enough you can decide. No. There was a man who had a sense of values and that's what he communicate. And that's where the kid gets his from the sense of i have sinned against heaven. And against my father. So now oscars willing to accept the role of worker servant. And what does he say he doesn't say i want to return to my room in the pictures or i want to return to the house. I want to return to the hood he said i want to return. To my father. Which says again something about the power of relationship. Now where did he get that again. True the relationship. Through the bond with his father. So he goes home. And he goes to his father. And now notice the wisdom of his father. I sees the sun at a distance. And he knows it's him even though it's at a distance maybe it's the hat on backwards you know the sloppy genes they. Now you know the t-shirt with the barbecue sauce. And he doesn't make the son eat worms he goes to embrace him. Now meanwhile. Oscar's been rehearsing i love this. He has his act down and how many of you if you have. You if you have sons daughters. Brothers sisters. And circles you know this trick. He's been rehearsing and i will go to him and i will say he's worked on it dear dad dearest dad i want to show that i'm really really sorry and i thought about it. So he has his speech all prepared. I love this part. He starts it and his father interrupts it. He ignores it. He overlooks at he will not be manipulated. In other words his father whose has a strong sense of values isn't going to let the sun tell him con him with this job about i really really thought about it i really really so i've sinned against you. So once again. The father wants to get on with it. He gets to the heart of it and he leads with his values. He's not going to let. The kid con him with his little written stuff. With his values. And how does he leave with his values. It is not. Where the hell have you been. What you be a temptation most of us might slip into and it is not. Let's get on our knees and pray it's not that either instead it's let's have a party. Let's celebrate i thought you were dead hear you while you're alive time for a party a little loopy. And think of the psychology of this. All of the old friends are invited over. And how can i ask her after all of this with all of his friends come jump us like an intervention only a really positive when we're all coming back to celebrate that you're here. You know i just can see it now or no. Hey. His friends jason and kevin are going to say. you remember the party your dad made for you and i we had balloons and hats jujubes for everybody. You know. Dr. bebe was the disc jockey we have the ribs with k cajun sauce all of that. Let me have the the bats blue everything there how can how can he. Turn away from that there's all of this positive. Reinforcement there instead of eating worms. Now that sounds pretty good. Until. The ugly head of sibling rivalry enters okay. Now felix has been out in the field working. Of course is the supervisor right. He is there and sensible shoes he has that to kind of carne plastic you know safety had on white department of agriculture already do know iron to a fare-thee-well. Neatly pressed. And there he is with his clipboard you know checking it all out when he hears the commotion. What's. Going on. So he broods. And his father shows up now by this time we have to figure. That the old man has celebrated with an e i or injury to. By this time he's had a few right. So he's really happy. And he goes to him and he says you know why so glum chum why why so blue blue why you grieve steve all of this and then. Felix lets him have it. He says what is this this is the old story of everybody loves a charmer. But nobody remembers the responsible persons birthday. Right that's the way it is we know how it is. And then. Slam number one this is going to sound very familiar. I don't want to embarrass any married couples here but this one is going to sound so familiar that it hurts. Look what your son did. Sound familiar. I just love it i mean you know you don't think the bible tells you the true story that's really want to look what your son did you don't not my brother. You know not oscars your son did. And he ignores it again. A person that values who is not reacting to all of this. But knows who he is and stays inside who he is in the second one. Is he devoured all of your money. Well the truth of it is it wasn't the father's money anymore it was the inheritance and he gave it to him he gave him what he said he was going to give him. So there it is the. And how does the father respond to this. He doesn't bite. He doesn't respond to the slams. He doesn't defend himself. He doesn't argue. He knows who he is again what his values are and he remains situated right in those values. And on top of that. He turns this into a teaching moment. He turns it into a teaching moment. This is how i treat my kids. This is what he does. He turns it into that moment of saying this is hot what i believe this is how i treat my kids. I am always here for you. I always was. I always will be. And i am here for you. And your brother. And notice he asserts that relationship. Your brother. Your brother. Got himself in a fix he got himself in a jam. It cost him dearly. We call this natural consequences kid okay. And he's come to his senses what a good reason for a party how come on let's get a few. And so the father. Gives both sons a gift. I would call it a gift of grace. Because is it rational. I don't know. We can figure out all the reasons it is and i suppose. Is it undeserved probably on both parts. Is it generous. Certainly. And is when my friend says you can never argue with generosity. So there's the story again. A little different maybe i hope it is i hope that this. Make some sense and maybe make some sense out of. You going home and not listening to the book. Your daughter did today. I love that. Good. Sensible first son's and daughter rational religious liberals we like common sense. We like common sense this. Fairness. Get what you deserve. Hard work rewarded. But grace graciousness and generosity. Go. Above and beyond that. Makin trouble us. They can travel us and yet. It is grace and generosity. The mysterious gratuitous generosity of grace and the graciousness of generosity. Whether it's from god or from nature's beauty or from our family or from our friends or our neighbors. We're from the other people who you. Set within church. That's wonder. It is that that amazes us. That blesses us. And that truly brings us to life. So. Always there remains just need to explain to each other that we are good. We all have a constant need to be reaffirmed. The individual needs this. The whole human race needs a ye needs. Big ceremonial pat-on-the-back that's it come on. Come on. We can make it. Amen.

uufvb_org

2011Oct16Sermon128.mp3

Your friends i might as well be right up front this morning with where i want to take you spiritually and intellectually. I am deeply convinced that some of you may have heard me say before. That the greatest spiritual danger in america today is simply. Distraction. You and i live in a distracted. Any distracting culture. With way too much spin and activity and clutter annoy. And unless we are very intentional and attentive. Unless we learn to live with a purposeful mindfulness. We can find ourselves living on the jittery surface of things. Living on the jittery. Surface of things. Unable to be fully present. To the deeper tones. And realities of our lives. Let me see the snow the way by way of a story. One day a few years ago i was driving down that particularly grimy industrial portion of the new jersey turnpike most of you know it. In newark there pass all the burning spinning off things from the refineries the rancid flames and orders outside of newark. When i spied this great big massive billboard advertising a gambling casino in atlantic city. Blazing across the billboard was a towering 20-foot likeness of the casinos famous owner steve when is his name. Grinning broadly with. Buckets of handfuls of cash in both hands and blazoned across. The billboard is said. You've got to be present. To win. No i was immediately struck by the absurdity and emptiness of this gambling moguls pitch. Now i'm sure it is true on the surface of it. That you're if you're going to win money in his place it going to win money despite the odds set against you you do in fact have to be at the gambling table you do have to be present. But as i read that. Billboards touchline in just that moment a much larger spiritual thought came to me which has remained with me ever since. The obvious you're tricky truth that to win. To truly succeed in this business of life you've got to be present. You've got to be present to win. And it's not present in a windowless glitzy noisy smoke-filled while they're not smoke-filled anymore casino that's. Not the way you win. The spiritual truth to your friends. Is it a nice fragile fleeting lies were given we have to be present. To win. Everyday we have to be fully in mind fully engaged. With life just where it touches us and all of its subtlety and intricacy and charm. This is why mindfulness. Is one of the most important spiritual possessions any of us can have. For without it all is lost. Literally and figuratively. This morning i am offering the second sermon in my year-long series on 12 gates to the city. What time reflecting on 12 different pathways. By which i believe we can enter the holy city. Or the sacred space. Of our own lives. And the future the affirmation which lies at the center of the sermon series. Is my conviction that we human beings were intended built from the ground-up out of the primordial soup if you will we were built. And intended. To notice the divine traffic. The sacred flow of this life. Which is ever and always around and within a that is our birthright. To know the divine traffic. I am persuaded that mindfulness. Which is the simple human ability to pay attention and to wake up to the life you have. First and foremost gate. Into the holy city. Of your own life where satisfaction. And. Purposely. Because if you're not focused. Another world that is at hand. If you're not keenly using your eyes and ears and nose and tongue. And mind to take you in what's around you you are essentially sleepwalking. Through your life. And you're going to miss. Most of what this creation is trying to bless and charm you with. This of course. What's the point of my asking us to share in this morning's. Simple meditation of the senses with the grape. Isn't it amazing. How. You notice things that you don't notice ordinarily when you simply start. Paying attention. Still cultivating mindfulness is what i want us to focus on this morning. But before i delve more deeply into that i have to talk a little bit more about this american problem of distraction. It is wonderful book. Coming to our senses healing ourselves and the world through mindfulness and yes i do recommend at this fight is $25 cover price. American buddhist. Teacher jon kabat-zinn. Makes the case that as a people we americans are losing our capacity. 4life enriching focus income in a nation in a chapter. He titles add nation. Add nation. He describes the attention deficit disorder that we americans are falling victim to i call him now at some length. Our entire society he writes suffers from attention deficit disorder is getting worse by the day. Much has changed for us in the last hundred years as we have drifted away from the intimacy with the natural world and a lifetime connectedness to the community in which we were born. And this change has become even more striking in the last 15 years or so with the advent and virtual universal adoption of the digital revolution. Though our through our home computers and laptops. Fax machines and pagers and beepers cell phones with cameras and instant text messaging ipads androids and blackberries. 24/7 high-speed conductivity. And nearly incident cable channels. Ind infinite reach of the internet and the world wide web and of course email he writes. All these technologies despite their undeniable convenience usefulness and efficiency. Have already irreversibly transfigured how we live our lives whether we realize it or not. This new way of working. And living kabat-zinn goes on. Has inundated all of us all of a sudden. With endless opportunities. An endless. Options. For interruption. And distraction. And i kind of free-floating. Urgency attached to even the most trivial events and communications. We are continuously bombarded he writes. With information. Appeals deadlines and communication. We find ourselves and we find ourselves responding willy-nilly. To increasing volumes of emails and voicemail in tweets and faxes and pages and cell phone tracker. Traffic coming in from all corners of the planet. We are literally he rides. Being driven to distraction by are delicious opportunities and choices. And then he goes on this technology itself undermines anytime. We might be inclined to take. For reflection. It has given rise to a dance of inattention. An instability in the mind. There is so much more to pay attention to. That it is now harder to pay attention. To anyone sing. The relentless acceleration of our way of life over the past few generations. Have made focusing in on anything almost a lost art. Things come at us so fast and furious and relentlessly. These assaults on our nervous system. Continually stimulate and foster desire. An agitation. Rather than connectedness and calm anise. And if we are not careful he writes. They robbed us of time. Rob us of our moments. And then he concludes. So many of us feel trapped by this crazy acceleration. Yet at the same time also addicted. To the new speed at which our lives are now unfolding. Even our stress and distress can feel. Oddly satisfying or outright intoxicating. So we are reluctant. To slow ourselves down. And give ourselves fully over to the present moment. A10 fully. What is truly and richly at hand. No i don't know who first coined the phrase but what i went online. Preparing the sermon they're bunch of. Mostly psychologist others were describing a new american illness that has reached pandemic. Proportions and that is. Curry. Sickness. Hurry. Sickness. It's a disease a churning distracting disquietude. That arises in our psyches and in our bodies with symptoms like. Elevated heart rate and blood pressure. When we allow ourselves. In this fast-paced culture to infect go faster and faster on the highways in our workplaces at home on our computers and most importantly in our minds. I quote dr. ann mcgee cooper. Hurry sickness. Is more than just feeling rushed. And wanted to get relief from our present pressure cooker live. Just as pavlov's dogs learn to salivate inappropriately. We americans have learned to hurry. If appropriately. Our sense of urgency is set off. Not by a real need to act quickly. But through learned cues. In a hurry crazy society. Are pavlov bells she writes have become the watch. The alarm clock the morning coffee machine the computer beep telling us you've got mail. And hundreds of self-inflicted expectations for speed. We have built into our daily routine. The subliminal message we receive is time is running out life is winding down so please hurry. You can't possibly sit at a stoplight and just enjoy the two minutes widest has stopped. Texola. Gotcha. One new way countless americans proudly hurry through their lives these days is my quote-unquote multitasking you've all heard about it. Doing multiple things simultaneously at work at home at the gym even got help us while driving more on that in a minute. Who is this phenomenon of doing 2345 things at once. They're only dictionaries published in the last. Few years even have the word multitasking in them. And multitasking which hardly existed as an idea little little lifestyle it just one generation ago. Multitasking is not a negative or a judgmental word in our current culture in fact many of us we're multitasking as a badge of honor. In today's fast-paced america anyone. Who wants to consider him or herself a bright. Capable ambitious player is of course. Capable of multitasking all the time right can't do multitasking we all can do it. I mean how else are we going to get everything done and be clever and attractive and everything else at same time. Tumi the widespread american practice and acceptance of multitasking of being plugged in all the time is a prime. Symptoms. Of hurry sickness. The biggest problem. With multitasking. And with being plugged in 24/7 ready to receive more stimulation and information. Including tweets about. Somebody you know. What their baby burped up at 7:45 this morning who the hell cares. I'm sorry i care. Especially if it's your baby. The problem with multitasking. Is that we are not wired neurologically for this frenzy. While we like to think of ourselves as a terribly advanced species the fact is dear friends that just a few thousand years ago we jumped out of the savannah trees we just jumped out and if you doubt it feel for your tailbone you've got one. I have an evolutionary psychologist friend who studies the quote-unquote progress of the human brain. And neurology. Who points out that despite the incredible advances and speed up in human technology we are still wired almost exactly the way we were when we jumped out of the trees. We have made no progress neurologically since we were hunting wild meet gathering nuts and berries and strangling squirrels. Don't believe me. In this morning's new york times it's buried in the book review of a book. There's an article which points out. A numerous studies that reveal that. I guess what percentage of us can multitask successfully human. Two to 3%. Only two to three percent of people. Can multitask successfully. Most of us. Are much more competent and efficient only pay attention to one thing at a time sequentially. The scientist studies hands-on studies this is science. By taking in our world one focused bite at a time is the way most of us are competent and happy. We simply are not capable of multitasking just one concrete example. Driving a car. Several recent studies of highway safety all reach the same conclusion. Driver to multitask behind-the-wheel you know drivers who drive and talk on their cell phone and text and change the cd players and eat lunch and drink coffee. And watch the kids in the backseat i sometimes shave with a portable electric razor and apply makeup or read i've actually seen drivers out on 95 driving and reading the sunday the paper while they're drinking coffee for god's sake help us. All the science reveals.. Multitasking drivers are dangerous distracted drivers. According to a new study by the university of north carolina highway safety research center. An estimated 285 distracted multitasking drivers. Art cause serious crashes each year in america. So being distracted is not only spiritually dangerous to. It's physically. Do you and everybody around you. I don't know about you but if i'm in my office here on some perfectly sane little morning. And attempt. Was i often do. Because i'm caught up in this 22 multitask say for example i'm spawn time on simultaneously reading my overnight email drinking coffee and answering a phone call from one of you at 9:45 let's just say. While i'm also thinking about next sunday sermon chances are i will do all four of these things badly. Except drink the coffee that'll probably manage. Again. Well we all get away with it every once in a while generally speaking we human beings are not wired. For multitasking. And the sooner we slow down and do one sequential thing at a time. The happier and safer. And more centered we will be. It is surely as novelist henry miller once put it. The moment one gives close attention to anything. Even a blade of grass. It becomes a mysterious. Awesome indescribably magnificent world. In itself. The more we americans hurry. And multitask across the various. Venues of our lives the less calm and focus we have in the buddhists have a word for this. A buddhist. Centuries ago describe. The spiritually unwise state of distraction as dukkah. Which is variously translated into suffering anguish stress. Malaise disease or unsatisfactory this and many buddhists. Teachers also use a more colloquial phrase. Monkey mind. Monkey mind you know like the monkeys running around the trees. That's what our minds are like when we allow joker. We have monkey mind we become distracted and cluttered. When you have monkey mind. It's almost impossible to really know and enjoy the day. Now i'm sure that a few of you out there have regular spiritual practices. That help your lives maintain calm. And i gave you a little insert. This morning in the order of service i don't seem to have it it's over there. About just a few meditative practices that. Might help you in your daily. Effort to rid yourself of hurry sickness and and monkey mind i'm sure that a few of you already have this but. The next thing that i want to point out. Is that. Mindfulness is almost always a matter of degree. Being mindful in your daily life is not i don't think an all-or-nothing proposition that's not like being pregnant for example. You know you either are or you aren't. Rebecca it's not like pregnancy mindfulness. Is a variable quality of our daily life i sometimes have a very mindful little. in the morning and then by 2 i'll have monkey mind. It's a variable quality. Again i quote. Jonathan kabat-zinn. Fundamentally mindfulness is a simple concept. Mindfulness means paying attention in your life in a particular way. On purpose. To the timeless beauty and richness of the present moment and it means paying attention open heartedly. And non-judgmentally mindfulness den can happen even when you're suffering are on happy. Mindfulness eagles on. Is none other than the capacity we already have. To know what is actually happening. As it is happening. It is a vast and spacious awareness of both heart and mind. Can we have already noted he goes on. How out of shape. We americans have become. When it comes to exercising our innate capacity to pay attention. Being but mindfulness can be refined. Through systematic practice and then he goes on. Since there's nothing particularly buddhist. About paying attention. Or about achieving true awareness. It's not particularly eastern or western northern or southern. The essence of mindfulness is truly. Universal. Anthony adams mindfulness is the final common pathway for what makes us human. Our capacity. For self-awareness and self-denying. I would like nothing more this morning than to demythologize for you. The idea of mindfulness. Mindfulness is not something that can only be achieved by some venerable guru. Sitting for hours on end and some beautiful on some beautiful tapestry pillow high in the rarefied atmosphere of some mountaintop in the himalayas that's not where mindfulness. Is is found it can be there. But mindfulness more. Is an everyday thing that takes no great. Superior spirituality. It can happen right we can be achieved right where we live here and now and ordinary moments. With life-saving. Lifelike enhancing. Regularity. Meditation kabat-zinn says. Is best thought of as a way of being as opposed to a collection of techniques or meditative principal. This unitarian universalist forbetterorworse. As a busy guy i find this idea that this is very accessible to me that mindfulness is innate and natural and was was given to me. Out of the primordial soup i find this a great. Comfort. There is not one person here who cannot cultivate mindfulness. In regular life-saving waze. By using your innate capacity. Kind of. Slap yourself still when you're. Falling in the monkey mind and say what am i doing why am i allowing myself. To be in a hurry sickness to be in monkey mind why am i allowing this i'm going to stop this behavior. Can slow down. And notice. What i'm doing and where i'm doing it. With whom. But let me just say this a little bit differently. You all know that i'm roads all across america people neighborhoods and civic officials have been laying down these calming strips these rumble strips. Bumps that naked won't allow you to go 60 miles an hour. That's what i'm saying spiritually we need to lay down our own. Speed humps. The slow ourselves down so that we notice the world around us. You know one of the neighborhood has those you do go slower and you do notice things and that's the point. You need to. Construct the common barriers and same practices in your own life. Slow yourself down. So you can see that do use the image again. Divine. Traffic. And please remember it is as jon kabat-zinn has already. Observe mindfulness is more way of being. There's nothing esoteric or complicated about becoming more mindfulness. Greater mindfulness is available to bless each of us no matter. No matter how distracting our lives sometimes want to become we can always call ourselves back. To our innate capacity to pay attention. To wake up to that which is directly at hand. I want to close this morning by giving you one more concrete image. Of how important it is to be increasingly mindful in everyday life. When i was growing up. As a boy in wisconsin in rural wisconsin i remember seeing signs like this one everywhere in the countryside. Was a railroad crossing that there weren't any lights. So if you were not going to get whacked by the train going 60 miles an hour. You had to stop. Look. And listen. I am reminding you today. Turn on the respective. Journeys our roadways of your life you need to do the same thing you need to refuse distraction which in the case of these crossings could be deadly. You need to refuse her a sickness you need to refuse multitasking and monkey mind. And choose a wide and spacious. Mindfulness. Just like with an unguarded railroad crossing. If you were going to go safely and joyfully through your lives. You simply must with regularity and purpose stop. Look. Listen. Stop. Look. Listen. Stop. Floor. Listen. Only then. Can you enter the holy city. Of your own life. 1. Precious. Moment. I calmly say amen.

uufvb_org

2011Apr03Sermon128.mp3

We've talked a lot about god this more. We're not going to stop now. Because. I want to relate to you. A little story. July 20th. 2010. 4 in the morning. I abruptly. Awoke. From a dream. That literally shook. The foundation. Of my belief system. Here's the dream. I was in a very. Large. Religious building. Of an unknown denomination. Walking through the administration wing. Which was. Hugh. Multi-leveled. With carter's and rooms all over the place. A veritable maze. Nobody was there. No one in the halls. All the rooms were empty. Not just empty of people but if your furniture too. Just rooms. It was no sign or symbol of any particular religious organization or nature. But. In the dream. I just knew it was religious building of some sort. As i was beginning to look for a way out. Suddenly a man appeared walking down one of those hallways toward me with nothing really outstanding about. He was. Just a man. And he was ignoring me. And he was going to walk right past me. I stopped him. And i asked for directions out of there. He politely them personally told me follow me. And we quickly arrived at an exit. He opened the door and i was always looking out over what appeared to be a desert landscape. And then as he was about to walk away. I suddenly. This is in the dream mind you. I suddenly got this sixth. Greenlee. Anxious feeling. And pleaded with him to wait. Because i needed to ask him a question. He said nothing. Woodstock. The words came out of me in this dream as if dredged reluctantly from the depths of my being as i told him. I was not a believer in god. What's wrong about that. In really deep down in my soul. I wanted. To believe. I told him. I've tried. When i cannot believe in god. Please. Please help me. Believe. Show me. How to believe. This. Huge empty feeling. Deep in the pit of my being just welled up inside me. Intern lusa. Of emotion. As i literally begged for his help. In finding out. How to believe in god. In the dream. I was. Desperate. To get an answer. That's what i woke up. Abruptly. And i sat up straight in bed. And i began thinking. Rather periodically. Because. Consciously. A desire to believe in god. Is far. From what i want. But that dream really rattled my cage. I've done some research on dream analysis. I make no claims to being an expert. But here's what i've come up with so far. Buildings are frequently metaphors for the self in dreams. So this metaphor was indicating that i have a large empty space. It myself. Also at the exit from the building was a desert landscape more emptiness. In this dream was an immense desire. To find an answer to my unbelieving. Consciously. I cannot believe in a god is configured in the christian or jewish text. So what is it. But i want to believe in so strongly that this dream was impelling me toward. Consciously i've been forging ahead since then. Preaching and talking about. The value in the belief in. Namaste. The recognition of the spark of the divine. Each of us. But unconsciously. In the back of my mind has been this question apparently banging at the door what does that mean. What is. The spark of the divine. Well perhaps that dream was this unconscious. Begging desperately to be released and considered. Conscious thoughts. Versus unconscious thoughts. Let me offer you a quote. The unconscious mind is much more powerful. Much more insist. Much more directive and conservative than the conscious mind because. The conscience. Is merely the educated mind. Which adjusts itself. To the environment around it. I'm quoting judo christian birthday. An indian writer. In speaker on philosophy. A philosophical and spiritual issue. He died in california. Krishnamurti went on to say about the mind. He or it. Is adjusting itself as you do. To the environment. To the pressure from outside but inwardly. It's the same. That is the unconscious mind is still. The residue of the past. And that unconscious mind is sweeping up the residue of past actions and thoughts and presenting them in the dream world. Full of symbolism. Anymotion. Packed with meaning. For you to take out. Unpack it. And decipher what it's telling you. Or forget it. Let it go. Nothing but a dream. But this particular dream what's so counter. Do those spots that i harbor consciously. I couldn't just forget it. As a result. Oh my inability to simply dismissed the dream as an aberration. I've been thinking. And exploring a thought. The feeling that i've been trying to project of namaste. Is good. And right. But it's not enough. So what and where is this leading i would like to believe that there is a spark of the divine within each of us but what does that mean. Define implies god-like. That's a little bit too strong for. I don't believe that each of us has a touch of a traditional god within us. What's supposed supernatural powers that a god has. Define also implies a strong spiritual base within yourself. What are the main definitions of divine. After the ones that talked about. Says. Secret. Or holy. Alright. What falls in line with my desire to be more spear. Does just mean a desire to be fully spiritual though no. That's much too high of a stan. As a pedestal upon which i really. Have no wish to. And honestly i don't think i can stay there anyway. But more spiritual yes. Not to the extent that i'm putting myself on a plane higher than others around me. Spiritual in that i want to recognize that spirituality and each of those around me. Honor that feeling. Namaste. Another dream metaphor. You're seeing an undefined person who's really a part of ourselves that we're struggling to define under that meeting the man who i stopped in my dream in that empty building to help me believe. Is that part of my inner self. That i'm striving to understand as to just what i do believe. Define. Show me what it is. I know but i do not believe. You heard that kind of phrase. In claudia story. I do not believe in a supernatural supreme being who watches over each person or any nation or any race of human beings. I do not believe in a supernatural being that cares will the human race let alone individuals. Here's a story about that kind of. There's this atheist. Swimming in the ocean. All of a sudden he sees a shark in the water. So he starts swimming furiously to his boat. As your looks back he sees the shark turn and head toward him while he is scared to. And as he sees the jaws of the great white beast. Open wide revealing its horrific teeth. The atheist screams old god save me. In an instant. Time is frozen. A bright light shines down from above. The man is motionless in the water when he hears the voice. Yo. Or an atheist. Why do you call on me. When you do not believe. In me. Well confused annoying that he cannot lie the man replies well. That's true i don't believe in you. But how about the shark. Can you make the shark believe in you. Well the voice replies as you wish. The light retract back into the heavens. The man feels the water move once again. As the atheist looks back he can see the jaws of the shark start to close down on it with a basically. The shark stops. Pulls back. The man watches as the huge beast closes its eyes. Bowels its head and says. Thank you lord. For this food which i'm about to receive. I love that story. The funny story. Not too terribly believable though is it. Hey a little bit beyond the possibility you might think so what do i believe is possible. Well einstein has been quoted as having said science without religion is lame. And religion without science is blind. No i believe. That it is eminently possible to blend religion with science and keep that marvelous emotional feeling of all. And wonder. All the universe around us. Exported scientifically. Come up with how things working what they're composed of and be worshipping. Of the fact. That they exist. Field granjear. In the mystery of how it all came to be in the beginning. Sure they're very well may have been a big bang. But what existed before that. Einstein said religion without science is blind. I think that he left out. An important addition. Religion and science must co-exist otherwise. Beach. Is wearing blinders. I think it's possible. That there is a supreme or maybe just original being. Call it the creator if you were. Who started this whole evolutionary life trend which to date has culminated in humanity as we know it today at the top of the food chain. At least here on earth. That sounds rather primitive but that's where we are at this moment in time on earth except for this possible creator. This creator is ic. Could be responsible for the various turns and twists of evolution that wound up as. It's possible. It's his creator is still putting humanity through a crucible. Tempering. Heading toward an unknown finality. Will the human species as a whole. If that's the case. Where does that put us in terms of free will. Would any effort we do have an effect on the outcome of this crucible experience. I would tend to say yes. We have the choice. I'm taking the easy road through the meadows. The pads of pleasure. Where the high road through varied terrain epatha conceivably could lead to a better world for the species as a whole. A path that leads us to a moral way of life as understood in our society as opposed to an evil way of life. This is the path that many of us in this room have chosen since we turn our backs on most of organized religion. Our species we the human beings wish for ourselves and our children and our descendants. Peaceful moral world. Do this baby reach my mini pads. As the buddhist. Or even as jesus said. My father's house. Has many window. Rather difficult to figure what to do. Since we have no idea what this unknown perhaps mythical creator wants as the end result of the tempering. Documentary. Some who have a natural tendency toward the negative would say. Don't seem to matter. So look out for yourself let you man if you fend for itself. Otis perhaps would say. Go out and have fun don't worry about. And then there are many people who tend to think. The golden rule. Is a high moral plane upon which i prefer to travel. Oh no. I suspect. That if the supernatural creator is doing all that we've been talkin about. He or it doesn't particularly care what. We do. It is probably only interested in watching. How we love. And the justifications we use. In what we do. Is. Such a creator. Something to be worshipped though. If my phone is true. This creator cares nothing at all. Divided individual. And seldom steps in. To change the course of event. Except as a particular individual might affect. The trend of the evolutionary process. So we're back to ourselves. And that possible spark of the divine. Deep inside of us. Each of us have it. Within our being. Do seriously affect those around us. In positive. What negative ways. As i see it. Those of us who utilize the spark of the divine. Strive toward the positive. We strive to make life. A little better. For a fellow human beings. And other creatures as well. Let me offer you a little poem. That i found one time at 1963 old farmers almanac. It's called human touch. Tis the human touch in the world that counts. The touch of your hand. And my. Which means far more to the fainting hearts than shelter in bread and wine. Horse shelter is gone when the night is over and break last only a day. Touch of the hair. The sound of the voice. Sing on in the soul. Always. Written by spencer michael. Humanity. For the most part. Seems to be driven to find some kind of spirituality. Something beyond themselves. Whether that's a god or mother earth. Nature. And it comes from within. So here we are. Defining spirituality of something within each of us. The drives us. Do actually improve the lot of fellow-creature. Who share the world. Around us. I've been thinking i know that's dangerous. But i've been thinking. This unknown man in my dreams could easily be seen as an alter ego of myself he's that part of me. Which is an unformed amorphous shifting shape. Holding the knowledge that my conscious self. Is seeking. To define what is it that i seek spiritual. For the greater part of my life. And until just maybe three or four years ago. I really shied away from thinking about being spiritual. The subject has been approached intellectually. As opposed to emotionally. Delete the emotions out of such a large part of your life though is to close the door on mr. opportunity. Being spiritual. All of those demands the inclusion of emotion. Not to the point though that you're projecting this web of emotion out from yourself to inflict it. Upon those around you. That's only ego in my opinion being projected part of the human psyche that. It wants to have those near us agree with us. Be like us and and not be contrary to our emotions and beliefs. I believe the whole purpose of us being here in this building and this congregation. Is to seek not only intellectual stimulation but the enhancing. And conch. Croatian. Spiritual ministry to each other. And community involvement. That you ufv. This is the thing that drove me here and drew be here 10 years ago. It is highly response. For drawing others. Bible. We need to be saying at all times. Yes. We. R a. Church. We support you spiritual. We support the rights of individual. In our community and elsewhere. We as a u u fellowship. We can energize. And lift him out of there what's. Live the seven principal. Hazard spirit. Our number one goal. If you forget those principles are. Go outside and read them on her wall. Open the handle to the first pages. Rahl president. So have i found what i believe in. I believe. In us. I believe in the essence. Of myself. I believe. In that spark of the divine. Within each. Some. Call it namaste. But i cannot define. That's park. And it may not be necessary to do so. It's an emotional thing. Not an intellectual. But one rings closely to the other. Bring the emotions to bear on spirituality within yourself. Along with the intellectual quest. Let us become a little. Sensuous. About this whole thing. And feel. And fondle. Concept. Of being a spiritual person in our minds. And in our discourse with one another. Let us explore. The spiritual. Not alone. Put together. Reach for that spark. Within. Blue jet li. Upon that emblem. Feed. Steve. Glue. See if it warms. Your.

uufvb_org

2013May05Sermon32.mp3

Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach. Parole more or subway. Scorning help you will find our service meaningful and originate and that you will find something here this morning that there is your spirit and feeds your soul and give you renewed energy android. Call together and worship. Community action. Ancira news. We are call to see if you share comfort. Desire. More johnson. And life more abundant. We are called to truth. To mercy. Courage. Let us answer the call. With the yes. Of our lives. Morning and on the screen. We are all here to grow in wisdom and learn how to love better. In our own ways we slowly, blessings to those around us and alignment in the world. American humorist and essayist. I finished six pillows and needlepoint and austin and con. I don't have to struggle to find myself already know what i want. I want to be extremely good-looking. Priorities for i already know what they are good looking healthy and wise. I'm improving my serve with a tennis pro and i'm practicing verb forms and greed. I don't have to ask what i'm looking for some good looking healthy and wise and adored. Organic gardening. What was the score. I conclude yes i know it's taking me awhile but i conclude usual sermon series on the 7th. Heavenly virtues and the seven deadly sins. Identified many centuries ago by the early christian sheard. Today i am with the seventh and final installment on the human duality. Villages and slaw. As i fell down in later duction do each of the six earlier sermons in the series. Explore that i think it's a creative spiritual emotional and moral tension between these teams. Consistently strikes me as i reflect on these seemingly oppositional sets of virtues and vices. Is the early church fathers seem to think they stand and started absolute moral contrast one another. Brotherhood. Interrelated connected they are realized open the virtues we are looking at all that virtuous. And the sims aren't all that simple. It would be nice i suppose. Before we head to do annalise to be good and healthy and only human being. What's the scrupulously live on the side of the equation and is to the sand on the bison side. I am persuaded that life and even more our human nature. Is much more complicated than that. The sermon series have to try to gently construct if you will the simple dualistic notion that the early church fathers said. And replace that dualism. And realistic understanding of what am i thinking means to be human. So let's take a look at the spinal care of human qualities. Diligent. I think we all understand what is currently under siege by the virtue of diligence online source. Diligent. Skechers application number energy. Is having a decisive work ethic. Diligent. Jump to ha. I'm not used to the bulbs headlight. We paid attention to detail. Energetic ava to achieving quality result. He's working toward our goals. Making use of what resources and opportunities are available. Are diligent provides a basis or people trusting us. Win job center tricky or complicated. And also important to them. Diligence.. Rely. Commitment. Industry and perseverance. To transform vision into reality. Whatever you're talking about an employee of the job. A retiree followed volunteering at a nonprofit agency. Apparent caring for a child at home. Or any one of us really going about almost any task that requires attention in life. With almost daily life villages and discipline. Yes of course a wonderful useful quality. Diligence to people houses getting easier and more pleasant for us. And everyone around them. Let me speak personally just for a moment. Characteristic i seek to reflect everything i do. Minister. Writing sermons. Preparing worship. Supervisor use to manage this institution responding to emails or phone calls making hospital in castle visits. Windows much diligence and care. All the dimensions in relationships of my life. To my wife as a partner of column. As a member of my extended family. As a player in my wide circle of friends. Home as a property owner. I want to bring just as much discipline. An organized hardwork excellent to my daily life as i can. Regardless of how smart portal. Depends on talent. Through sheer effort has helped us to bring the full weight of. They required of us by daily living maintaining our homes and garnet. Doing the house cleaning and laundry. Planning and preparing meals and activities for ourselves that our family. Keeping our personal records that's one i really hate. Keeping up with email other correspondence staying in touch with family and friends when we go about our daily rounds with diligence and discipline everything does, houston. Just look at what results. Amused to their days in an imitative lazy or indifferent. Chaos and difficulties almost always result. My father when do classes start at a rather float play of chiding his sons to always be diligent he would always settling telephone when we were facing some family task. My dad of course was like. And i thank him for instilling in me the ready aspiration of militant. Trust me if you are incapable of regularly being diligent and discipline as you move through your life. You will leave a wake of an adequate incomplete an incompetent actions that will make a mess with it. And cause others to think lesson. The ancient church fathers were right that we all needs it that we all need the scrupulously cultivate. And nurture in our daily life. As with all the other virtues i've explored in the series. This obviously taken too far. Dream by common sense. Of course and you will buy it. It is something sinister with no longer and has his or enriches argument.. There's clearly such a thing. Has too much doing it. Highly focused worth of work. Which is a drawing with addiction i sync and slavish habit to overworking. That can rob you of a balance healthy and satisfying life. Weather at the office. School or church or home if you do not have healthy boundaries. Drawn around the amount of labor and effort and attention to give to whatever tests arkansas. Clearly you can't allow your wife to spin out of all balance proportion and joy despite how people made forward you for that we will work. The last congregation my service was in suburban washington dc. Dictation inside-the-beltway institution in our nation's capital i can tell you. With highly educated. Hard-charging and ambitious federal corporate and nonprofit executives i had a bassador i had guys who ran the ims for kennedy and johnson i had some ambassador. For my 12 years of ministry there i worked with countless manor when the most of them in their thirties forties and fifties. So serious about their work and careers in the morning. And return to help return home at night well after dark. Veryable tucker kissing the dead before they cut themselves into bed. Hi sweetie regularly that congregation about the saving habits. Slowing down to work. With family and leisure asleep and recreation and personal time. Eli said it yourself. Before you kill yourself. Similarly i am known ministerial colleague. In the villages and duties and commands in paris tennessee. That they have literally worked themselves to death. I know these hard-driving visibly productive ministers. So hard-working job so deal with it. Ultimately succeeded in doing was robbing the world of their talents and excellent. So obviously like almost every good thing in life. Villages which is clearly a virtue can be taken too far. Consequences on our bodies. And on our souls and probably everyone here knows some workaholic. That is the case. As of this morning. Central south america. And here is a human version of the same thing a lazy cow swelling mammal found all over north america. The first thing you must do is trying to understand the very real danger. Which all the final moment for connectivity. Understood as it often isn't common parlance it can't be misunderstood as physical or even mental inactivity. Like this couch potato guy showing out the endless channels of the great america wasteland commercial television. As approved again and again and hard driving washington dc i will say this to all of you whether you are working or retired. Every stage of one's life. Fiercely regular basis need to balance work with leisure activity with inactivity. Diligent with idols otherwise our lives spin out of control in a grey fog of frenzy. Merriam-webster dictionary define leisure as quo. Freedom or spare time provided by the cessation of activities. Free time is the result of temporary exemption from work or duties as one's own command leisure-time and one's own command and three of engagement.. Social. My colleague will saunders suggested to be healthy. We must know how to be either. To let go of work and it's corollary buying and spending. We need to to relieve ourselves. Activities that cause worry. Prepare tax return. Make a list of things to do in the coming week. We need to waste time erased on the pleasure of being with friends and family the delight of simply enjoying the world we need to set aside leisure time. To renew our relationship. With nature. Atlas god. Seizure. To renew a relationship. God and nature and women. I'm here the scorpions morning to diligently tell you that there is nothing simple. In these idleness the regular process of intentionally not working. Isn't precious habit and life-saving version that you must structure. In the very fabric of your daily life. For your long-term system. Genuine.. The blessed state of not lurking not seducing of not. These times pastora. It was juvenate body mind and spirit. Doing happy harmonious whole someone. When we wisely irregularly choose to structure periods of idleness into our lives. Workaholics imagine wasting our time. Rather we are busy. Realspace. Real-time and real energy i'm calm. 4life. Creative purposeful title list. Eta is about wisely making wrong in your mind and body and soul to the kind of attentive mindfulness. That allows you to be fully present and then later productive in this amazing world of art. Suggest to you that this guy may not be wasting his time you can actually. Father-in-law. Is not swab. Would rather of violence spiritual skill. Set office lights to full new ways of being. Listen please because wonderful poem by cape cod poet mary oliver she's my neighbor in provincetown actually. Entitled in the summertime. It is powerfully affirms the holy roll with idleness. Can you play in our spiritual lies oliver is describing an ordinary summer day. When she had the spiritual wisdom to go outside and her in her yard. Slow down and notice the sacred dance of life around here including. A large grasshopper. She was too tall. Who made the world. And the blackberry. Who made the grasshopper. This grasshopper. Herself out of the grass the one who is eating sugar out of my head. Instead of normal. And complicated. Thoroughly washing her face. And looks away. A prayer is. I do know how to pay attention. Pull-down. Gidle. Weather. How to struggle through the fields which is what i have been doing all day. Tell me what else should i have done. Doesn't everything die at last. And too soon. Tell me. What is your what do you plan to do. With your one wild. Idleness. Because of its inherent spaciousness. And come open us to a mindful and feeling window on the world. But rather a fully necessity for a life well and richly live. Can i would remind you on this first sunday of may 2nd mile. Summer. The warm and gentle season which is made. For leisure and idleness it's made for hannah. And backyards and sitting by oceans and rivers and mountains. Summer is about to break over us and all of us language hospitality unwelcome soap make sure you don't. Overburden yourself with work at activity over the next quarter of the year. Promise me. You'll be idle. Indeed. If you are looking for a sip. But has the power to drive us away. Love. In relationships enjoy. If you're looking for a said try too much work. Try workaholism try. A perpetual 24/7 live. Of diligence and drudgery in world. That is a sin against the gift. Diligence. Industry. Work. Drives us away from the rich tapestry of life on this earth. Freezers of life. Screw you and heal you. If y. Is models. And it's not an activity or not even physical laziness like the guy sitting on the couch. The deadly sinners more like the ancient greek word for it acedia. When you mean. Indifference. Negligence. Lack of care. Good music spiritual emotional apathy in your life. 2 degrees. The city all human being. Monster boy. Spiritual form of absolute indifference for or boredom with. Your life it was a kind of sluggishness of soul. Is a falling out of love with life. God. Author dorothy sayers amplifies distribu. What is doubtful poisoning of the will. Beginning with indifference in an attitude of i could care less. Your wife. Refusal of joy. And culminates sushi rice in morbid introspection and despair. It is the refusal to be moved by the contemplation of the good and the beautiful. And that the solution memphis known. This is why internet his. Classic and very harsh allegory about how the various centers from earth. Will be punished in the descending rings of hell for all eternity that's dante. The 14th century italian poet. Do those with a smartphone. Doom goes to heaven a difference to the gifts of this life while they have them. He has them boil asleep in black mod. It look more through hotel. Forever with the richness and the beauty of the world because they're simply married. Mother. Here in dante's own words. Is what dante is companion see when they arrive at the 4th to bring us home. Beneath the slimy top. Farsighted soul who make these waters bubble at the surface there i will tell you this just look around. In this line they say. Sluggish we were in the suite are made happy by the sun and the smoke of sloth was smoldering in our hearts. This is the him they curdle in their throats. But i cannot sing in the words that truly sound. Really did not have much sympathy for those. For indifference to the gift of life that we all have is god a person. In the sweet are made happy by the sun. They refused to sweet hair. So if you fall victim to the deadly sin of sloth. The spiritual malady has fallen out of love with life. Toledo life grand. And greg. Commodity. Listen to the way my friend will saunders and now lives in portland maine describe. A sloth. He lacks drive and ambition will rights of the sky. Lethargic is disconnected life is just something that. His life is marked by a lack of creativity. Thoughtfulness are concerned piranhas and any sense of connection between. At what he does and the world beyond little cocoon. His wife is dry and empty. He is in fact spiritually. Supposed to say. Enumclaw. Is the loss of one's spiritual roaring. Getting living in a spiritual vacuum that manifests itself in despondency. Is a morbid commercial of the soul. What is that way of life which avoids engagement with and presents in the world. Describe the tragic outcome of a bit differently listen to these words. Nothing. Lyrics for nothing. Enjoying. How do you spell finds purpose in dumping lives for nothing and remains alive only because there is nothing for which it will die. Alright. I truly hope all of you identified as a mysterious deafening indifference and apathy and negligence directed toward license suspension. The cloth is a spiritual emotional tragedy of the draw isolation and alienation behalf of employee. As i have said many times. I take it on stage that we human beings were not put on this earth. Deliver wipeout in some sort of satisfying isolation. We were made for hot and holy engagement. Soul satisfying relationships for interchange and dialogue with everything in and around us. Adults who returned at the end of the sermon. Can a curious but i hope spiritually. Beautiful doubling back to the heavenly virtue. Diligent. It is a matter of spiritual, said. Call relationships interactions we found lice in every venue of our lives. Require discipline detention and spiritual emotional diligence and effort. Distance relationship. R2. Makeup toys. I believe every one of us is called by a defense minority-owned lifeforce bumps on a log. But rather as diligent and purposeful. Joyful people really engaged. Surely if ours are spiritual duty as human being is to never allow ourselves to become indifferent to the blessings in the opportunity. Family gifts that are so profligately laid before us every day we wait for your mom. We are made to get off our butts. What we've got. So we have a relationship. With our bodies. Diligently canada relationship with her own mind. Do we have to expand our relationship with the natural world around us opening our eyes and ears and hearts. What's the coronavirus. We must. The relationship with our life partner. Spouses and children. Grandchildren are friends. Can do our relationships the many human communities large and small we find ourselves that we can't live in splendid isolation. We have facilities attend our relationships. Another witness town with the state. No matter where we turn in our lives to realize that relationships at least the ones that really matter. Requires a lot of amazing. Diligent. Back to the place where our own lives are blessed. The only church fathers who called sloth a deadly sin have it right. None of us can afford in this life to be spiritually emotionally lazy in our relationship. Lest we slip into bed. The dante spokane. Let me see this one last time. You and i were not made. Stupor. Or indifference. For isolation. We were made out of the miracle that is are humans meaning for engagement. An interchange and excitement we are relational human beings we are hot-wired. Gwireless. In the primordial soup. For love or passion as purposeful is. Poor connection in caring for mindfulness and present. That's why everyday you must diligently avoid slots. Sneaky ways it speaks to slytherin. Show me real life. Consultant. Is first sunday in a merry month of may in the year 2013. I asked if you eat here. That you fully be here that you not be spiritually lazy. In the rich tapestry of the life. That is yours. Open your eyes your heart fully. The world around you. Cultivate 18 mindfulness. Present here. Alyssa spinning oracle perth. Work your relationship. Great small exercise your engagement and it hasn't been nerves are all connections of heart. Including the never-ending demands of justice. People everywhere. And in so doing. The little liveness. Fuseal swat. Is anatoly relational law. And the robust and saving fullness of being for ridgeview. Has a remarkable human being were made holy relational plus you will find. Everything. Gwendolyn brooks. The world. Are the cold places. All about. Stormers and scramblers. Power season. Which starts from sears. And go out. Define meditate the whirlwind. It is lonesome. Kentucky. Illinois. And the whip. Otherworldly.

uufvb_org

2011Aug28Sermon128.mp3

A few years ago i passed the church on malabar road while i was driving to michigan. And it had a sign in front of it. Proclaim. Under the same management. For 2,000 years. I assume that the congregation took pride in the longevity of its philosophy. Obligations. Unspiritual presumption. Or possibly they only intended to say that they had marched under the same figurehead. For two millennia. And then i recalled something. One of this country's leading management consultants told me once a long time ago. More often than not. The troubles resetting the companies that had needed his advice and help. We're in trouble simply because management had remained so constrained by their own tradition. And policies. That their operations no longer functions effectively. In a changing society. I have watched the recent unfolding of our nations and the world financial. Industrial. And political confusion. And wonder. Whether we have been so beset because. We have cloned. Tooth piercing. Super additional ways and ideas. Did about leston. Their effectiveness. Put another way. Something is wrong. Terribly wrong. When we notice and even admit that some of the old ways are failing. And yet we cling to them. In hopes a little duct tape. We'll make things right. Maybe it is a human nature. The cling. For the tried-and-true. Seemingly true. Eva. When the roof is caving in. We find bankers and investment houses more interested in making profits than serving their public. We have under trees that reads design and then pronounce proudly. But they have increased fuel efficiency by 2 more miles per gallon. When the world needs changes that are orders of magnitude greater than them. How can i company take pride. In offering say 40 miles per gallon cars. But a few years ago teams of international engineering students spend a summer. Trying to design a vehicle that could attain speeds of at least 80 mph. Within mileage level equivalent to at least 300. Miles per gallon. And several of the teams. Accomplish. That targeted goal. I know i will not totally ignore politics in this presentation. We're almost nothing is more fiercely bound by tradition than is politics. And our whole political process. Nephrolepis designed when the fastest mode of communication was a horse. And it doesn't matter whether everyone voted on the same day. Or even the same week. In those days people in one state may well have know little or nothing. About the thinking of those in another state. Which meant that the some extent at least. Candidates were freer to be themselves. Instead of just called. In a political machine. In those good old days westerners had no idea. What is news were saying with their boat. Now. Westerners cano even before they decide the boat. Just wear the national trend. Is going. Communication. Has train. No i will not get involved to the traditions of politics here but to ignore them entire world. In a commentary on the tyranny of tradition. Would be both cowardly. Unblinkingly misleading. Raptors is enough to say that our political traditions maybe some of the most restrictive traditions of all. And unfortunately. They can probably only be changed by acts of those whose personal and professional securities. Are most profoundly protective. By the very traditions. Atmos need to be reviewed. And possibly revised. It may also be unwise to include religious tradition. In this presentation. But i also see much point in leaving out some of the historically most. Irresponsibly confining traditions. Mobile. It may be safe to go way back to the time when most people could not read. And indeed books2read were hard to find. Do include the flock in any religious enterprise almost required. An intermediary. Someone to interpret the word in ways a philosophically ignorant population. Could understand. Ben 10. Which it could respond. Effectively it was a time when many religious traditions were born. The last many of them persist. Today. Which lead this former educator to wonder just how effective weekend honestly believe. Our vaunted educational system has proven. Sobe. How does that final line in one of our hymns go. We believe that even two question. Is an answer. For questioning is perhaps the only possible attitude. To the turn that many religious traditions have imposed. Ohana's. Born out of ages past. Perpetuated through years of inadequate or even non-existent education. And skillfully foisted on the public by mostly very serious and well-intentioned advocates. Who made himself. Never have dared honestly to question. That to which they have clung so strongly. And yes. So respectful. You asked for evidence. Read the letters. The auditors page. In any newspaper. All this was turning in my head as i sat beside my lake in michigan a few years ago by the way. The started few years ago. I thought of an old cartoon it made its rounds at mit when that institution was focused so heavily. On war-related work. In the 1940s. Young students had an ideal. You know light bulb in that blue moon over his tip. The next brandy told an expert who said. It won't work. The next brandtotal professor who said. It can't be done. In the last spring you told another student who said. Let's get started. Was that a message. The mit faculty. Implying that the young may have one advantage over their elders. They have fewer traditions. To hold them back. Now don't get me wrong. Tradition is not necessarily bad. Or it can be a powerful blue depose families and groups. Adjust even nations together. Traditions can provide a powerful sense of security. Connectedness. And pride. But so too they can be frightening lee constraining and devices. I know where has that been more insidious in my mind than the frictions among different religious systems. Like a reminder for the almost continuous conflict so often ending an all-out war. That existed for so many centuries. And are still looked upon as being a viable solution. The religious. Differences. This summer i reread victor hugo's les miserables and one brief paragraph caught my attention. And i quote. What are music wondrous masterpiece of combination. Which might is the result of an enormous sum total. Butter. Weakness. That's only can we explain a war waged by humanity against humanity in the spike. Few minutes. We do not see what danger there is. In attempting to kill an idea. By military might. And of course. Remind us all to prune the eero we in the west call. The dark ages. The east. Was in its golden age. One of the prime differences between the west and the east at that time. Was it we in the westward control to a large extent. By religious traditions that were effectively xclusive. Rather than inclusive. Divisive. Rather than. Cohesive. Notre dame 1492 their imperial majesties of spain drove all easterners out of that country. Infor centre. Nothing of any real consequence in this science and mathematics italy. Came out of. The east golden age. Was not do so much to the new religion. As it was to the new religions initial. Religious. Power. That era of the ascendancy of what we often call arabic science and mathematics. Was not so much the presence of muslim scholarship. As it was a muslim tolerance. Unacceptable. At least a modicum. A religious diversity. All that was required was a belief in one god. By whatever name. The result was that many jews christians and members of other religious sects were not only accepted. They were encouraged. And honor. For their scholarship. There were of course penalty. For being a non-muslim. You paid higher taxes. But the result was a period of almost unequal growth. In the natural sciences geography. And mathematics. A some centuries arabic was the primary language of intellectual exchange. Around the world. In time the east to. Succumb to exclusive policies and that eastern golden age. Came to an end. But thanks in part to the islamic tradition of reverence for books by whatever authorship. The great arabic libraries in italy and spain help. The western world. To return to another. Golden age of its own. And yet. And yet. It is taking some four or more centuries. 41 old largely western tradition. The fully recognized the genius of an old man. Name galileo. Tradition. As a former educator how can i fail to suggest that many of our. Traditions in education. No serve more to inhibit. Then to improve. Our educational goal. Most of our educational calendars are still based on the needs of an agricultural society. That no longer exist. Our society has more mobile now than then. And more and more often neither one school norwin town norwood even one state. Provide a child's pole. Education. Yet we insist. Primarily. Fun local. Control. Considerable evidence exists that we require less from our students than almost any other. Industrially. Developed. Nation. Liacouras are proud. Or educational system. And justifiably so in my mind. But there is some evidence. Set by various measures are students reside close to the bottle. When compared with students. From around the world. Here by the way i'm referring. Not too. University-level students. But those with the lower levels. No i take this kind of evidence with considerable grain of salt that i hope you do too. But admit those claims give me. Sirius pause. Something. It's just not. Quite. Right. But it could be. A multibillion-dollar a year. Disaster. In the making. We are more closely bound way whole world society than ever before. And yet include less and less. About the world. Did many of our schools. Tapley technology is taking up some of the educational bird. But that same technology. Continuously provide profound. Thing. I wish i could feel confident. But my profession has either the courage or the incentive. To review its traditions. Will night removing unnecessary constraints. Inspired by its own. Traditional. Imagine. Inertia. Do i hope all this suggest that both we as individuals and we as a community. Need to keep reminding ourselves that the times they are. What's changing. The clinging to furniture tradition can have tragically serious consequence. I am neither a theologian gordon historian. But i suggest the two many traditions entice us to close doors to protect and preserve. Rather than to open doors. To explore and expand. The last know where is this tendency more in french. Then the areas i've been exploring politics. Religion. Education student. It is this fanatic cleaning tradition that i have called here the tyranny. Tradition. But of course there is much of life and the human condition that persists throughout centuries even millennia. And there are universal birdies that should be cherished and protect. Injustice clinging to what is good. And universal. Unfamiliar is itself course. A tradition. And yes this cleaning the what is good is a tradition. We should hold on to. Very strong. But this does not diminish the need. You take care lest we persisted ways that insult. The true potential. Inherent in human kind. Surely we should have recognized that some of our past efforts have failed. So why do we repeat. Sometimes over and over. And over again. We're obsessed with terrorists these days and resort to force even to open warfare. In our efforts. The comeback. Terrorism. And yet we continue this in the face of overwhelming historical evidence. The tiger an act of revenge accomplished. Other than to encourage. Anger. And revenge. In return. Clearly we as a civilization have paid little attention. To the victor hugo's of the world are we still live with traditions of revenge. Organize divisiveness. I'm clinging to waze's have failed. And these are all. Examples. What prediction. Going berserk. But even as societal changes have taken place that render some traditions almost ludicrous. Something else has been taking place as well. The death of our understanding in the breadth of our opportunities have changed dramatically. We need no longer be bound as we once were by superstition. An almost universal ignorance. No we live in an age of almost unlimited access to information. Although we have not yet begun to figure out how effectively. To identify that which is true. From that which is full. That which is ballad. From that which is not. The whole gilbert and sullivan johnra and i love gilbert and sullivan. Is based on the societal computer. The revised is when fiction is taken perfect. A sun. Believe the beat. A wandering music. In their own words. Gilbert and sullivan. Things are seldom. What they seem skim milk. Masquerades as cream. And that pretty much to find what i think. Of those debates. Between candidates. When all we learn is which candidate can tell a truth. A half-truth. And an untruth. With graver. Believability. Unfortunately in our electronic age of opinion easily masquerades as fact. And we rarely consider the potential consequences. Of accepting. Fantasy aspect. We left with gilbert and sullivan what we should not be laughing. Are our souls mount. Literally the whole world is now at almost everyone's fingertips but the human brain has not so rapidly evolved. In this capacity or willingness. Look at information with sirius. Discrimination. We have such wonderful new opportunities to move ahead to work together for common goods and come and go. Even though many of us. Refuse to open our minds. Jets. Congrats. New opportunities. Weather in general we have taken full advantage of the new literacy and the new technology. That remains to be seen. But what i hope cannot be argued. Is the moving ahead together in our humanity will be more likely to happen. If we can clear consider the extent to which some of our traditions. Ochoa's close not only doors. But also are mine. British. Here i have been more or less deploring the potential constraints and herndon tradition when i find myself in a religious community. That is steep. In tradition. We're so proud of our traditions and principles that we list some of them on the walls of our lobby. And it is our tradition. Return to them whenever we look for spiritual. Or moral. We're social guidance. And that old bond of union i use for our opening words this morning included the phrase never-ending search for truth. Never ending. Search. Back to. Is one of our traditions. Wanderer just not to stand blindly content. But the look. Oh and to reach forward. Forever greater understanding. Wisdom. Opportunity. We're service. There's a robert frost poem taking the road less traveled by 10 make. All the difference. And i think that is precisely. What unitarian universalist are doing. We are taking a road less traveled. Because instead of clinging to our past. We are searching for the road that leads to new places. New understanding. New opportunities. New obligations. And yes. New rewards. In short. Our traditions encourages to dream. To reach out. And then to commit. Ourself. These are traditions that do not close doors. They open doors. Which means i cannot confide. Because they quite literally. Set us. Free. I firmly believe. Show me a pic.

uufvb_org

2013Aug18Sermon32.mp3

Bored. Justin come to a game. User. Alaska. Broken community. Starfire. / foundries with race gender class and tortured. Beauty among us lack of season pizza places. We know that we have created stinging. Gracious god we know that no matter how far we distance ourselves from our neighbor. Preview for your face. Division side-by-side entertainment. Through their laborers filter into their willingness to serve themselves to others. Thank you were worried for lila. Another. Evening to our communities. 443. This world. I'm in space. Once again. Living for 1. Story about. All those references. Psychological. Push it together. Talk about correct. Existential. Humanism. Because. And i hope that someday i will. Holiday music. Anybody crossword. Only for a moment last forever. A storm. Breakers right away from my home. Music. Again every time comforting. Extrusions without rosie. That i do not understand. Nowhere a definite goal. Ashbrook speaks today. The secret is in the pace of the stars time in my office one. Send me something. Who is myself. Wooden dreams by dream. Play stars by cool springs. And her here ways to world 1,000 stars. Interdependence. Grand rapids michigan. Pics of the words of motivation. World. Medieval movies. The wonder weeks. Anxiety. Colors. This strategy entails exaggerated. Exaggerated. Strategy for independent. Independence. Determines the nature of our relationship. Where are we. We can avoid words such as always never every. 4 / 2. Crazy. Stupid. They're probably. See where it goes. Apparently when he was 16. String theory. Another person who tries to make. Verizon. Define by energy. We might have something like pure hydrogen. Convention. Expansion of the universe. Talk about. Gravity itself. Is warm. Explain. Did the space defined by the time you can't. Many dimensions raptor. There's something about this matrix found in the level there. Cluster. Nativity. Space. Hydrogen particles. Game show concentration. Star nursery. Play music. Playlist. Transformer road. Horses matter. There is such a thing. Interacting massive particles. That's good looking for. Religious beliefs. Language. Appreciated. Meaning of a radical hospitality. Appreciate. You'll make all the connections to the possibly place. What's evening. Sp2. Thursday group. Sorry i can't remember your name. Universalist justice florida. Local representative. Organized. Dominations. This day reminds us of our responsibility to work one another. Inspired. We are limited. We ask all these things from you. makes us what. Traceable. Spider-man. Changing. A warming transformer. All pretty.

uufvb_org

2011Jun26Sermon128.mp3

You know. When you pick up a novel to read. You implicitly invite the author. In the telling of his or her story. To weave in some sort of larger point or meeting about this complicated business called life. Good well written novels in my experience. Never hit you over the head. Or mercifully bludgeon you with the author's insight and intent. In fact in great novel these larger points about living enter your consciousness quietly modestly. Like a pleasant polite guests. At a dinner party. But the novel i want to discuss today atlas shrugged. A book published in 1957 by controversial author ian rand. Totally lacks. This fictional grace. And artistic subtlety. At best i suppose. You could call atlas shrugged a philosophical novel. And at worst you might label it a strident and poorly mask idiot logical track. No matter what you call it it what is clear from page one. Is the author's main purpose is to aggressively broadcast. Her passionately held and quite radical philosophical beliefs. And not. In my opinion. To tell a good or captivating. Story the story almost. Send the way of. She wants. At one point in the book. Her hero the libertarian capitalist by the name of john galt. And by the way i'm coming back from charlotte yesterday i saw a great big billboard that said who is john galt. Just one of those standards. So somebody out there is really into this. At one point of the book he delivers a 70 page. Beach. 70 pages for god's sake. Which is nothing other than a rambling diatribe of franzone philosophy called objectivism. I'm curious how many of you here in this room right now have at some point or another in your life. Read atlas shrugged just raise your hand. For reasons i will explain in a moment. This massive in this version 1368 page. Quote-unquote cult classic. Cult classic. Yes i'm very right now it's on various bestsellers list including the bestseller list at amazon.com. Although it was first published more than 50 years ago atlas shrugged is selling more copies now than it ever has. And in 1991 it was declared by a library of congress survey. Perhaps the second most influential book of all time. Coming in second only to the bible. From which eyerly er red. Yeah this is scary we'll get to wild a minute. For better or worse a lot of americans have read. Or are now reading this book. And whether you like it or not it is currently playing a significant role. In a crucial national debate over the future of our society. And government. So this book cannot. Be summarily dismissed by me or anyone else. Now usually when i basis ermine upon a book and its ideas i'm either implicitly or explicitly recommending the volume for your reading but this morning i am explicitly doing the opposite. I honestly recommend that unless it's required reading for some class you're taking. Or less you're finally curious or just dying to read 1368 pages of thinly veiled libertarian diatribe. That you spend your time reading something else. In my humble opinion this book. And it's extreme philosophical speechifying simply isn't worth the time required to crawl through it besides i'm going to give you a very concise analysis of everything. She said about this anyway so you can if you want. I'm about to tell you. It is clear and cogentin concise a ways you could possibly ever hear precisely what this book is all about and what it mean. And why in my view it doesn't really warrant. A great deal of your attention. Consideration. Know about it. Let me begin by reading what i think is an excellent summary of what this book is about which i found of course on wikipedia where else do you find concise summaries of. Please date. I quote. The book explores a desktop ian united states on a quick aside dice appian literature means an anti-utopian. Version of a degraded society by often describing. Repressive and controlled states that come into being under the guise of being utopian or progressive. So just sports. Is it a sapien. View. United states. We're leading innovators. Ranging from industrial. Two artists. Refuse by means of a strike. To be exploited by society. The protagonist dagny taggart. See society collapse around her. As the government increasingly asserts control overall industry including taggart transcontinental. The once-mighty transcontinental railroad. A witch for which she serves as the vice president. While societies most productive citizens led by the mysterious john galt. Progressively disappear. Galt in that lengthy 70 page. Speech i called i mentioned earlier. Gulf describes the strike as quote. Stopping the motor of the world. By withdrawing the mines. The drive society's growth and productivity. In their efforts these people of the mind. These people of the mine. These people who disappear. Hope to demonstrate that a world in which the individual. Is not free to create is doom. The civilization cannot exist where people are slaves to society or government. And that the destruction of the profit motive. Again the profit motive for individuals. Leads to the collapse. And then this wikipedia thing goes on with the collapse of the nation. And this rapacious government all the certain. Galt emerges to reconstruct the society that will celebrate. Individual achievement. Unfettered and unregulated capitalism. And enlightened self-interest which ran elsewhere calls. Rational. Selfish. In the story line then. The individualistic and i would add intellectually elite. Heroes in atlas shrugged. Must constantly fight against the less successful members of the society. What's the author leslie calls. Parasites. Looters. And moochers. How do you feel about them iran. Namely. Those in the social order. Who demand or expect the benefits. Of the heroes are elite labor. So in a nutshell atlas shrugged is a not terribly concise obviously nor clever. And some might call it rambling 1957 diatribe against. Big government. Social welfare programs. Taxation. And the social idea that we americans are 12 another our brother's keeper. At one point in his long monologue the books hero john galt after praising what he calls. The code of selfishness. Rhetorically asked. What do i owe my fellow man. And he immediately answers. Nothing. Elsewhere i'm rand road. The virtue of selfish. An ethical egoism. And her social and governmental philosophy express through john galt's extreme views. Totally reject the idea of societal altruism. Or mutuality. Totally reject the idea of compassionate community or care for others. Most especially the disadvantage. Or downtrodden and society those hoochie. Parasite. That portion of the population. Who she thinks rob successful individuals of their personal wealth. And innovation. Her philosophy. To my view. Is nothing other than a kind of pure social darwinism a kind of survival of the fittest view of society where again. The successful. The entrepreneur the capitalist. Always nothing. To those who struggle. Indeed in a 1957 interview with mike wallace and you can google it on youtube just google mike wallace and iran. And it'll pop right up. Wallace. Her directly. If her i owe nothing to my fellow citizens philosophy. Was not to this is not in fact to destroy the whole altruistic underpinning. Tadeo christian social ethics. Namely the centuries-old religious idea that a fundamental level we are our brother's keeper. And that we have a moral duty to be concerned about the welfare of others. And iran says to mike wallace that is exactly my. Altruism. Is evil. It is eva. This idea that we are our brother's. Now. These are the fifty-year-old decidedly radical ideas of a writer who has been widely dismissed as somewhat extreme and unsound by most mainstream social philosophical economic and moral think. So why am i devoting a sunday here to her. To this thinking. Well because over the last couple of years or so with the rising tide here in america of the tea party movement. And other fiercely small-government. Notaxation free-market capitalism and endmost government program conservative thinking. The thinking of ian ran. Has seen a huge resurgence. Again. As evidenced by the fact that atlas shrugged is once again being widely read and discuss. Including. Receiving high and repeated praise from conservative radio and tv commentators like glenn beck. Neal boortz. Michael savage. Rush limbaugh. And recently. And that's what this is what the movie is what prompted this sermon. A new movie version of atlas shrugged after languishing. Some four decades of hollywood limbo. Was released. To some 300 theaters across america on april 15th. This year. Another movie has been badly panned by most reviewers for both. Stilted acting. And very slow-paced sing. Flow pacing i wonder how that have or happened. And has and quickly closed. Foremost theaters. But this is not stop the tea party movement and its allies mostly by way of their websites and facebook page. From highly praising the movie and urging all american. See it and take its message. Two hearts. Indeed freedomworks the tea party allied group headed by former house majority leader dick armey. Try the spring unsuccessfully. To pressure the big movie chain. Show this film in more of their theater. Against the market. A lack of demand. The president of freedomworks was transparent enough to admit to the national journal that this movie quote. Reflects the ethos of the tea party. We are going to build people. Who believe in limited government. An individual liberty. Unquote. And this thinking is also having a notable impact on our nation's capital in the halls of government. House speaker john boehner. After seeing the movie at a private screening praise. The film publix. In another branch of government conservative supreme court justice clarence thomas has declared public. The quote. I tend to be really partial. To iran. And representative paul ryan of wisconsin the author of the current republican budget. It is attempting to cut so many federal programs. For the poor. The six. The elderly and the disadvantage. Requires. His entire staff. All of this in. To read this book mercy. Have mercy on me. Requires. The staff to read this book and write. Imran. More than anyone else. Did a fantastic job. Explaining the morality of capitalism. The morality of individualism. And the morality of individuals working toward their own. Free. Will. And it's the kind of thinking ryan went on that is sorely needed right now. Clearly the ideas of ian ran have lived on pastor death. And continue to be a force. Terribly. Portal. American. Conversation. About how we shape our. How to make this really clear to you. I'm going to. Get a graphic hearin and john levy my usual guy who'd put it up in 25 ft. Projection is that general assembly working so i have to go to the old fashioned. A flip chart thinks will you wait just a minute please hold on. The new technology is very helpful. I made this in my office saturday very concise very clear. And if you can't read it i'll explain. What's up here. Oh yeah okay too much light. We got to get john back or more people trained on how to use the. Projection. The american conversation. In my thinking about how we should structure our economy and social order. And what a crucial conversation that is. Call dad seems to me alone abroad continuum which i have represented with. Large black line. On the far right of this continuum. Is the idea of pure unfettered. Listen fair capitalism. Which is represented. By the fiercely individualistic and if she puts herself selfish thinking of iron rand. Who believe the government should almost completely stay out of the way of wealth-creating individuals who fuel the economy. That's the right. Left. On the far far left of this continuum. Is the idea of systematically structured socialism. Which is represented by the pure collectivist thinking of karl marx. Another socialist who believe. The government must be in nearly complete control of both the economy and the productivity of all citizens. For the just and equal benefit of all. Do these extreme polar positions. Frame the conversation but it seems to me that the great american debate in our time. Is here in the middle in these in the more moderate. Ground. Thank goodness more moderate goalposts. A social and economic philosophy. On the right side as you might expect. Are the tea party movement and other social and economic conservatives who want to limit government. And. Limit. It's regulations. It's taxes and its social programs. Well maximizing individual freedom and well. And on the left side of this more moderate conversation. It seems to me our american progressives and liberals who want to empower and expand government. To significantly regulate capitalism and the economy. Text citizens appropriately. And sustain compassionate social programs which benefit the needy and the downtrodden and the vulnerable. Issues. The issues come into play. With the advocates on both sides it seems to me. Here are the issues. Distributive justice. And whether or not we are going to have a regulated econ. Distributive justice is namely the question of how widely. The wealth. Of the total society is to be distributed among the citizens. Through distributive programs. Supported by taxation. Like. National healthcare. Income tax credits for the poor. Housing subsidies. Food stamps these are distributive program. And. Regular government regulation namely how much central control. Direction and restriction. With the banks. Investment houses. Insurance companies in large corporation. Is required how much regulation is required. To ensure a fair just. And productive society and economy. Now. These issues. Along this continuum. Are to be sure. Very real and persistent and legitimate issues in american life it's right that we are struggling with these. And as you know if you follow politics the battle. Between these contradictory points of view and the continuum between progressives and conservatives. Is particularly pitch. And passionate right now i had a. 9 hour drive. Up to the general assembly and i went to am radio i listen to glenn beck. Sean hannity and rush limbaugh for about 6 hours on. Monday lord preserve me. People on both sides are throwing mean-spirited labels like. Socialist. Communist. Tyrant. Directed at those on the left. And. Progressives are using labels to greedy capitalist heartless conservative. Directed on those of the right-hand side of the spectrum. No as one hopefully reasonable and moderate and thoughtful and fair-minded american citizen i am persuaded. Unlike iran. On the right and i'm like karl marx on the left. I am persuaded. What the hell. And the vitality and the decency of our society is dependent upon our nation. Choosing. The middle course. Choosing not a radical. But a middle course. When it comes to this continuum. And what scares me most in american life right now is that some on the right and amaryllis they are with. Fierce. Individualism and autonomy. Espoused by atlas shrugged. Seem hell-bent on insisting. That active involve government. Of any sort. Even in the modern middle. And taxes and programs which come even in the middle. Are inherently evil. Spodak by nature. And will soon. Conservatives seem to be saying. Will destroy as a trance at the freedom and creativity that has always marked. American life. The right is suggesting. The extremist on the right. Suggesting. That all right-thinking patriotic americans. Fulfills philosophically land. Way down on the right hand side of this continuum the individualist. Side of the. The unfettered unregulated. Side. And to be fair on the other side of the equation some on the left. Some on the left are even unwilling. To even consider some restraints. The government taxation. Response to regulation and to social support programs that are being suggested by the right. The partisans in my view on both sides over state. The moral case. And they cling to passionately. To their own extreme thinking. But in the end to me is a unitarian universalist to me as an unashamedly progressive religious person. Committed as i am to a fair and compassionate and good society. To me the fierce and right-wing tea party rejection rejection of government taxation and all social programs. Seems. Stream and unbalanced view that is neither supported by the economic facts. On the ground. And more important on that. And even more important. The spirit. The community minded compassionate. Judeo-christian tradition. Which has always animated. Informed our nation. Now. Our nation is clearly and blessedly not. A christian. Nation. As some religious. Conservative. Insist. That it is our nation is rather a democratic republic. Which was what. Which was clearly founded on the moral and ethical sensibilities. A both the jewish. And the christian. Traditions early on. The played. Such an important role in shaping our national collective conscious. The bill of rights. And the declaration of. Well we as a nation have fought long and hard to maintain a proper separation between church and state. When it comes to matters of religion public policy. The american people are none the less. Rooted. When it comes to thinking about our shared life one with another. We are rooted. Thank god in the basic moral and ethical. Framework. Is express. In both jewish. And christian teach. And that's been supplemented by other great world religion. Does america have. Islam in hindu. Taoism. But the primary ethic. The founding. Clearly. Jewish. Simply put. That is the conviction. That a good and just society is one that protects. And provides for all of its it. And that it is our duty as human beings and citizens one with another. To ensure that there is a compassionate safety-net. Which will prevent unnecessary suffering. For the most. Disadvantaged in our society. Judeo-christian ethics. Are animated. By the simple morality. Of the golden rule. Do wonder weathers. As you would have them do unto you. Which animates islam. And buddhism. Hinduism in zoroastrianism. Taoism. All the great religions. Do 12. It is this. That animates the morality. To me the whole of the judeo-christian ethic. The whole understanding. Of what it means to have them acceptable moral social order was summed up succinctly by jesus. In that reading from matthew which. I shared earlier. Where were you. When i was hungry. And thirsty. And the stranger. And naked. Where are you. Iron rand. And the so-called heroes of atlas shrugged. Would answer this. Just where i should have been. Often the private marketplace using my own wits to generate as much wealth and happiness. I can for myself. And my family disinterested in you jesus. Or anybody else. Struggle or. But for people of faith. I believe for compassionate and caring citizens committed to the best. Of america's foundational sensibilities. The answer should be i was working. And contributing and making sacrifice. Spore. Compassionate social order. Which seeks for the good and the safety of all cities. Most especially for those. Distress. I was volunteering. I was paying taxes cheerfully. I was making personal charitable contributions. I was willingly. Paying tax. Twerking. For the common good. I passionately believe. The our religious tradition. Unitarian universalist. Which has its roots. Christianity. Cannot endorse. Cannot condone and cannot tolerate. The fiercely individualistic thinking. On random atlas shrugged or anyone else. Suggest. We do not have to be. Are brothers. You can believe that. But i don't see how you can be a unitarian. And i can't imagine any religious. Fruit of the history and spirit of the judeo-christian. Tradition. Not to mention all the other great world religion. All follow the golden rule. And all in-system reciprocity and care for a. Supporting. This individualistic. View of national life. This is an irreligious. It is. Undeniable. The human mutuality. And generosity. Compassion. Animate all the world's great religions. Not individualism. Not capital. Not private. Not greed and not indifference. That does not fewel any religion. Let me return once again to our own particular faith unitarian universal. If you look at our seven principles which we print every. Week. In the front of your order of service. Every one of these principles. Is unmistakably animated by and infused with what. Mutuality. And community concern and connection relationships. Look at these. They all require compassionate engagement and connection to others. To be a unitarian universalist is not to be some splendid individual. You know thinking and doing what they want. It's being committed to the idea that we are indeed ever and always one another's keepers. At a fundamental level. Citizens of the larger whole. But have a responsibility to look out for and care for. Others. And dust i return. Full circle. To mychart. To the continuum. And the great american debate. Clearly. Neither anomic. Self-interested individualism. Over here acting selfishly. Devoting all of your energies and attentions to creating personal wealth. And refusing to share a portion of what you make. Nor. Big and bloated government. Pretending to know what's best for everyone. Stopping individual instead of an initiative. Neither of the extreme. Are reasonable or proper neither create healthy or noble society. Healthy and noble society. Are always somewhere in the middle. In the middle of this. What is clear to me on this 26th day of june in the year 2011. Is it the great american debate along this continuum will continue for the foreseeable future. Most certainly through the national elections next year. Which are crucial. To our future. The american people inevitably. Must and will debate this middle-ground most especially. The wisdom unfairness. Specific. Public policies and programs. Specific taxes. And their level. Government regulation and control what is appropriate. But what i believe with all my heart and soul is a while we are willingly to it willing to engage in these legitimate debates about public policy. We must never ever forsake. The compassionate collective original spirit. Of america. The commitment of our founders. To the moral and social idea. That we are indeed ever and always our brother's keeper and our sister's keeper. That we belong to one another. Citizens of a great. Free land. Surely the radical selfishness and social darwinism. And societal indifference to suffering. That i was exalted in atlas shrugged. And demanded by so many who are the tea party label in their hearts. Surely this. Streamview the. Stream individualism. Has no place. No place. In this good and noble nation. No place. In the united states. No.

uufvb_org

2014Apr13Sermon32.mp3

Well good morning. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we are a congregation. Open minds loving hearts and helping hands people seeking to become our best selves. Even as together we work to make for a better world. And please do as i say every sunday that you're welcome precisely as you come to us this morning. Whether you're young or old. Gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What are your feelings on top of the world this morning or dumps or somewhere in between. We welcome you just as you come. We hope you'll find our service this morning meeting for in richmond this morning. To take with you. The nurse is your spirit and feed your soul and gives renewed energy and purpose. For the living of life in the days ahead. Play a little later this morning we're going to have our annual congregational meeting. Dictionary.com congregation. Is it gathered or assembled. Four common religious worship one religious congregation from another. I suppose and beliefs. Every faith tradition has its own distinct core values and beliefs around which it considers these conversations. Breathing. Around the values and beliefs of our particular religious tradition. Promise. Beginner worship this morning by saying together the seven principles. Which hold us together as a congregation. They're printed in your order of service and they're projected up on the screen. Unitarian universalist. Aquaman compassion human relations. Coronavirus update. Responsible search for children. Community south hospital. It is supposed to be together. I don't know who wrote this reading i think it was one of our ministers. Who are we unitarian-universalist. The roman catholic. To the sundberg desserts in israel. Small rural villages in transylvania. Of early new england. Like the jews. We have our heroes and heroines channing emerson. Barton anthony and steinman. To name only a few. Like the baptists we have a system of democratic. With the congregation as the ultimate authority an elected board of trustees and a pulpit characterized by freedom of expression. Like the confusion we have emphasized the capacity for reason. Possessing a thirst for the fruits of wisdom and knowledge and irreverence feeling for the achievements of the mind. Hindus have an eclectic system of theology. Encouraging each individual to develop a personal faith. Which is not. We have our roots in the experience of the world. As it is known through the medium of touch and sight and sound. And taste. Smell. Unlike the buddhists we have an accent on the individual and the mystery and the holiness church man woman and child. As each is a sacred vessel. Unitarian universalist. Grateful for all the world's great religious tradition. Which has taught us. So much. Here in the morning reading. You know optimus all of a sudden a few years back when i was present at the largest gathering of unitarian-universalist ever convened in the world. It was a remarkable sunday morning june 29th 2003 i went back and looked it up. During the general assembly that you're in boston. Enforces the home to our denomination. Ar denomination had rented the old boston garden. Nsawl the ocean within driving distance to new england. To come in. Cancel the regular services and come in for this mega festival service. Almost 10,000. Enthusiastic you use including most of our clergy from around the country. Asian. At one point just before the service too crowded that wave thing did you see it at fall games it was totally cool. It was the largest gathering since our movement had formed 200 years ago never been a gathering of the faithful. Even close to this one inside. The large gathering is possible in boston because our faith tradition even though it is represented in every region of the country. Is still heavily concentrated in massachusetts and new england. In fact some of you may not know what the old nineteenth-century saying. Which points out that unitarian universalist believe in the fatherhood of god. The brotherhood jesus in the neighborhood of boston. United states. Right in the middle of this huge and festive event i had a very dark thought. Taking off from nearby logan airport. At least three-quarters of the clergy and a substantial portion of our new england members. Causing irreparable damage to our movements. Well as the police to report. No eres plane crashed into the fleet center that morning. All the happy unitarian-universalist including the in the rest of the clergy returned. To continue to grow and strengthen our more than 1,000 congregations from maine to california. Thank god this wasn't was safe for another day. But this dark and curious thought of another title this morning. What would i religiously be if i couldn't be a unitarian universalist. I mean think about it. If unitarian-universalism suddenly disappeared. Or had never come into being in the first place. What in the world would you or would i do spiritually with ourselves. Where would we find a suitable spiritual or religious. Is there any other single religious spiritual tradition. To which we could migrate the kind of freedom hope. Meaning and purpose which we received from unitarian universalism. Is there any other religious tradition. Out there in the world. Comfortably settled into. Our spiritual theological and attending and ethical authenticity. Passionate. Hopefully and rather i should say thankfully this is a hypothetical question. Because our liberal faith tradition in these early years of the 21st century. Is stable and strong and secure. As a religious denomination are overall membership numbers while admittedly small. Are none the last study. For the past several years we've had about 1050 congregation. And we number about 220,000 adults and children. Study statistics at a time when so many other historic. American mainstream denominations like the methodist. The presbyterians episcopal zion lutheran. Are significantly declining both in terms of numbers of congregation. And adherence. So surely are you you safe while small by american standard. And a round for the foreseeable future. We have. Distinctive and healthy progressive nice. In the american spiritual landscape. But still intellectually and spiritually the question of what i would personally do. If you your wisdom or not an option for me does haunt me. It hurts me because unlike most of you who discovered the space tradition. Sometime during your adult life. I am a third-generation. Unitarian universalist. I am uu. Through and through to my bones as i say. My grandfather mark clayton viewing an amazing man. Was the universalist in wausau wisconsin. Use the paper products in this church it says wausau paper. He helped to found that come. I think of my grandfather. Inadequate. My parents subsequently raised me and my brothers at the unitarian universalist church in racine wisconsin. Which was formed 1842 here is a photo. Of my old sweet hometown churches. And i want to tell you a story about the weathervane the weather this is the church of the good shepherd. Weathervane blue off during my high school years and someone stole it and the weathervane. What disappeared my father was in the steel industry he had one custom-made at a tool and die shop in racine we hired a cherry picker my family did and we put the new and that's that's my parents paid for it and. I have put back. And the beautiful. Old building. Luckily for liberal religion. That i was set upon by my parents was always felt. Like a perfect and natural fit. I have indeed devoted my life and my career to this religion. And is hopeful vision. For transforming both persons. And our world in ways of gentleness. Decency compassion and hell. Is it being a unitarian universalist. Is central to myself understanding as a human being. It is almost impossible for me frankly to imagine. Myself and some other spiritual path. Myself. So what would i be if you was a better option. Perhaps my ruminations on that question this morning will help you think about how you would answer. That's the same question all right enough introduction. So what would it be. If i couldn't be you you well. Right off the bat i must confess that when i began struggling with this blessedly hypothetical question. Of where i might otherwise spiritually go. I am trouble. Settling on just one face tradition. Does difficulty shouldn't surprise you because you use have long believed that no one religion. Including our own. Has all the answers or has a monopoly on truth. We religious liberals love the spiritually and theologically shop around and other tradition. For insights and truths and rituals and meanings of work also for us. As open-minded and curious you use we hate to restrict. Our spiritual search do one particular narrow play. Even as i said if that place. Is our own. Openness of ours to be free to shop around and look at all religious traditions. It's very well with a gen-xers in the millennials the generations coming up. Who want as much. Spiritual freedom of choice as a do economics social political and sexual freedom of choice. So are you you having a being open to all the world's great religious traditions. I think secures our future because people coming up or going to want that same openness and they're not necessarily attracted. The younger generations to crusty. And rigid religious traditions that demand absolute and fixed fealty. From their adherence alright. My question is what would i be if i couldn't. A great deal of fussing and reflection i decided. I could pretty well comfortably fit into tradition. One from the west. And one from the east now which western tradition do you think i would pick. Take a guess. Quakerism. Right is my western. And if i had to pick an easter tradition what do you think. Bingo buddhism. Alright. What could be better for unitarian universalist one western one easter perhaps the best. A both spiritual worlds so you see you can have your spiritual cake and eat. And it's my doing it because you can't tell me not to it's like it's like lesley gore said her famous hit party and i'll cry if i want to cry if it happened to you. Quakerism first why. The perfect fit for me. Because it's a bit more theistic and christian than i am spiritually inclined. I could cope could cope quite congenial with being a quaker. That is extroverted highly verbal sold. To let god speak to me or the spirit speak to me as they do in quaker meeting. But i'm attracted to three aspects first democratic. Secondly the practical ethics final christianity. Inserted exercises social justice. And human. Service. I want to take the first from the democratic priesthood of all believers. Structure as a religious movement. Or ecclesiology as a theologian would call it. Is a democratic and inclusive priesthood of all believers just like we are. Quakers as we do our firm the inherent worth and dignity of every person. They believe that everyone has access to what they call inner light. Of god or goodness. And the subsequent responsibility. To lead your life in accordance with the highest. But you discovered within as you look for that light. As a result quakerism insist that each faithful individual. Have both the freedom and the responsibility to both shape their lives and then live their life out of that. Spiritual place. Quakers are spiritually focus. On this earthly life. And strive to make their own lives as one put us document calls it. A sacrament. Your life isn't as a buddhist it's supposed to be a sacrament. Goodness. Based on what is revealed to you. From the light within or the god within. So like are you you tradition. There is a non-dogmatic creed list tradition of searchers. Which gives each believer a great deal of authority. To decide what is true and real and right for them. quaker you're not told what to believe. You're you're putting a path. To seek that. Lakewood. No one in quaker tradition. Can dictate to another what the voice of god. Or the dictates of conscience should be. And yet they're not just rabid individualist as one quaker website puts it. Quakerism is not. Justice holy spirit speaks directly to us as individuals. We also experience god speaking to us as a group. When we gather together in meeting. With the intention of receiving god's will. Together. So it's individualistic and yet there's a corporate dimension to it. I could be very comfortable with this. As i said i am cyst on the right and freedom. Just spiritually an ethically decide for myself. What is true and right. And yet at the same time. I also did the other ministers and rabbis in town. To help correct me in to help me find that. That truly right path. So my soul comfortably resumes with this first pillar. Of quakerism. As robert lawrence smith puts it in his wonderful little book. A quaker book of wisdom. Because friends believe it needs to each individual has access to god. To the powerful illumination of the light within. They worship in silence. Joined and waiting for god to speak to them directly and move them. To a vocal ministry. The second one. But that strikes me as a practical non-doctrinal christianity. This lies at the center of quakerism. And it resonates beautifully with my own progressive judeo-christian roots. Quakers wall decidedly within the christian full. I have never been interested in abstract trial imaginations about jesus or christianity. Because they're too busy striving to simply emulate. Jesus's life. Following his loving and compassionate teaching. Quakerism along with other pietistic protestant tradition. Insist on regularly answering the simple question. What. Would jesus do. And then strive to live accordingly. Well versed in what the scripture say about the life and teachings of jesus. Quakers drive to mold their lives in accordance with his compassion. His peacefulness. His generosity and love. The quakers have never concerned themselves with speculative questions about heaven and hell. They believe that god's kingdom is manifest. Here and now and that we are all responsible. For contributing. To the creation of god's kingdom. This is a particularly comfortable religious place for me personally. When i was growing up in that old universalist unitarian church in racine wisconsin which i can call the church of the good shepherd. Every sunday i would look up from my pew. At the beautiful old stained glass window on the west-facing wall. I called them 2 weeks ago too soon will you please send me a photograph. Of the window the good shepherd window. I looked up a jesus carrying that lamb every sunday in my boy. And that meant a great deal to me. To me this is what christianity. Living my life in accordance with the human ideals which jesus caught on live during his lifetime now. Why was the unitarian universalist. I spiritually unethically insist on learning from all the great religious teachers. Nacho singularly focusing on jesus of nazareth. I none the less. Personally powerfully inform. By his singularly powerful and challenging example. In my spiritual and ethical life. I want like the quakers to be a follower of jesus. And a follower of gandhi. Add a follower of martin luther king. And mother teresa. And the dalai lama. And all the other saints and prophets of humanity. Caught this one essential message. Do unto others. As you would have them. Do unto you. Lastly i am attracted to quakerism emphasis on social justice. It is the quaker conviction that all persons are valuable and worthy. Everyone has a spark of the divine within them. That has led them like us to be a social justice and a service religious tradition. They work tirelessly for peace and justice and decency for all. Robert lawrence smith. The concept of quaker service you right. Start with the belief. That there is that of god in every person. And that all people in the world are there four members of an extended family. Truservice. He writes. Quakers believe. Respond to needs wherever they exist. Global family. I was very touched recently when i read a book called the abandonment of the jews which chronicles the very. Sad story about the religions of the world during the holocaust. But yet the author writes. The major religions of the us did nothing great. To relieve jewish suffering. During the holocaust. And the unitarians. Did 100% of what they could. Despite despite small service numbers. And over the last couple of centuries quakers and unitarian and universalist. Have regularly found themselves on the same side. In public struggles for civil and human rights. World peace and disarmament. Social economic and racial justice. You may be interested to know that way back in the 1920s and 1930s. Unitarian charles went organize something called the national federation of religious liberal. And what this was was the unitarian. And the universalist and the quakers as well as a central conference of american rabbis. They worked together for several. Decade. On social justice issues before the organization fell apart for god knows what reason. So except for the rather singular emphasis on on jesus. I highly value this but do not wish to spiritually or ethically limit myself. I could pretty comfortably settled into quakerism. This reflective. Ppl center. Justice freedom and peace-loving protestant tradition. So let's move. And take a really quick and i'm running out of time so i'm going to go through buddhism pretty quickly. I'm attracted to three things and buddhism also. Everyday mindfulness. The interconnectedness of all things which foot is in season understand. And their patient. Stoicism stoicism. Tight as i've said i'm very much at home with quakerism but in the end. My spirit would feel truncated and incomplete if i could not. Enrichment expand quakerism. Gentle and responsible path. With the parallel wisdom of buddhism in the other eastern traditions. Despite all of its wisdom and deaths western spiritual tradition. Wonderful spiritual understandings and sensibilities. The only come from the east. Like couldn't be a universalist. I want to be a quicker aligned buddhist or a buddhist oriented quaker. Kind of taking both of these things in her heart. One expert in world religions. What does it means more quote. Avast synthesis of teachings. It is now two and a half thousand years old avast. Sentences of teaching. Here are the three spiritual aspects i'm attractive. Of course. Mindfulness. This is essential part of my spiritual practice. As a unitarian universalist. I am persuaded that mindfulness which is simply. Paying attention. And cultivating a keen awareness. Of each unique and remarkable moment of your life. And accepting everything that comes in all of its fluidity flow and flux. That this mindfulness is the key that opens the door for each of us. To life-sustaining gratitude. Satisfaction. And peace i quote from my buddhist friend. James austin. Mindfulness. Is a kind of remembering. Remembering. To be present in your own life. To pay attention to this moment of life. When we bring awareness to this moment. And we know that we are alive. Our mind easily wanders off. To some fantasy of the future or some evaluation. A remembrance of the past. All this time we sacrifice. What is right in front of us.. This present moment. Without mindfulness. Includes we lose a sense of direct. Experian. With the richness of life. And then he points out. Being mindful is not only about becoming more receptive to the outer world. Enter landscape is also more. When we are aware. Mindfulness is characterized. Play a spacious snowing. Spacious knowing of what. Happening. And you know it's not just a spacious knowing about the easy stuff. Mindfulness also means that if your swept into grief or in the sorrow or the lost. You are mindful of that as well it's not just remembering days being fully there today in the beach or watching your first grandchild before and. It's about taking all of life and being mindful and present for all of it. Even the sorrow and suffering. Which helps us to move past. Lazzaro on cell. So mindfulness is crucial and then there's the awareness of the interconnectedness of all things. Explain the score affirmation of buddhism michael quickly to the teachings of my favorite. Modern-day buddhist the dalai lama. It is wonderful book. Ethics for the new millennium. He says it's because human beings everywhere on the globe. Are striving. Define happiness. And to avoid suffering which is a key buddhist concept. Find happiness in avoid suffering because we are all. We are bound together in the end of soluble and powerful one. A spiritual kinship and relatedness. Pelvis. To be compassionate toward one another. I quote the dalai lama. There is no denying that our happiness is inextricably bound up. The happiness of others. If society suffers we ourselves suffer. Compassion is one of the principal thing. That makes our lives meaningful and happy. Truth and justice towards others. We ensure our own denison. The only spiritual practice we need. He concludes. Consist of nothing more. Connecting out of ever wider and deeper concern. For others and providing you undertake this practice sincerely. And with persistent. Little by little. Step-by-step you will find. That you enjoy peace. And happiness. Yourself. The buddhist affirmation. Human interconnectedness. And the interconnectedness of all living things. And the responsibility that comes with it. Resonates perfectly with my unitarian-universalism which as you know are seventh principle. The interdependent web. We are apart this is a pure. What is conch. Stoicism. I want to incorporate patient stoicism. Into my life. Stoicism is the idea expressed in classical philosophy. Which basically says we have to accept. The laws. Of nature. If we are too smooth. Through our lives. Two and a half thousand years ago. Beginning with the writings of the buddha himself. Affirms with both suffering and change or flux. Are part of the essential nature of life. To live is to be. Obliged to go through change. And suffering. And if one is to find true wisdom and happiness and peace. One must accept even embrace. Does fluid and often bittersweet reality. For reasons i am unable to entirely discern. Are western minds tend to resist. Does buddhists sensibility. The unwanted suffering and change. Are inexplicably unavoidably apart of life. That we must know. And embrace. In our culture we rail against and resist fiercely. Any unhappiness. Or suffering. Or mortality. These things which are natural. As unnatural of france. Who are humanist. Rather than the natural an acceptable part of the flow of life. Lifeway. Live. Western minds have trouble. Coming to terms with random suffering and tragedy. For many in our culture the first question the first spiritual quest and out of their mouth. When they suffer something is. Why did this happen to me. Well that's the wrong question. What is the frame of mine why did this happen to me it happens to everyone. Because suffering is a part of the way the world is. Everything in my life. To place the store. I want the spiritual calm. Composure and maturity. To accept the personal difficulty and pain that comes my way. And comes the way of those i love. And i'm liberated and empowered by that acceptance. And i think more able to move on in my life. With contentment and purpose in love. For what is yet to be. Stoicism. The laws of nature. Is tamia crucial spiritual. Alright so there you have it. My new spiritual home. If you are not available to me. Lie somewhere spiritually suspended between east and west. Quaker rest buddhism or a buddhist oriented quakerism. A mindful. Compassionate peaceful. Hopefully. Reflective. Stoical people-centered justice loving concern democratic. We're the ultimate authority for deciding what is good and true and right. Would resist would reside. But even with this personalized hybrid. The complimentary richness of quakerism in buddhism. I still wouldn't quite have. What i wanted. For some spiritual treasures would surely still be missing. And so last i would undoubtedly find myself self still casting about. Respectfully going to empowering from even more faith tradition. To round out and deepen my new spirituality for example i'm sure. Visit episcopalianism. To learn some of their sense of hushed magic and reverend mystery i like incense. And take home some of their sway compassion. I want to visit islam. And take your heart and hand that traditions insistence. On charity. And generosity toward the needy. I'd want to visit christian science. And unity movement. To remember that there is a vital and saving connection. Between mine. And body and spirit. I want to visit judaism. And pick up some of their community solidarity and their compassionate. Generosity. I don't want to visit baha'i. Enrich my universalism. With their global asset. A human connection. Want to visit confucianism. Reason. In the human mind's capacity. Take my spiritual shopping list. And if i have the time or energy. I want to in the end visit every great spiritual and philosophical tradition known to humanity. To see if i could discover something there i wanted to take with me. And what do you know. In the end will mercyme in heaven. To the free open inquiring inclusive and compassionate. Face i now have. Unitarian universalism. So congratulations. The unitarian universalist you're already in the right spiritual theological article place. We've gone full circle and you're in the right place. What can i tell you. I might as well admit it this sermon on what i would be if i couldn't hear you you was just one more thinly-veiled rhetorical device to remind you what a great faith. I will admit that. I'm sure i could get along spiritually one foot in quakerism one foot in buddhism. With a smattering of wisdom for mother's day. But i'd rather actually be right here. Right now. Committed and caring in this religious tradition. Firmly rooted in this particular historical faith. Windows 7 guiding principles. And yet also always open. To the truths that lie about us in all the great religions. So may we together here. At you us tv. Building open. And inclusive unitarian universalism. The truly explores and welcomes the wisdom and the goodness. Of all other traditions. That we ourselves. Micro g per. And stronger. And clearer. In the waze. Of love. And i say a mean. In the middle of the nineteenth century every clergy person in america was mail. Olivia brown. Universal said she went to a little surgery wisconsin. Call christine. Today. Church 200 years old. Workforit and sacrifice for us. Nothing in all the world so important as being loyal to dissipate. Play sephora philosophy springfield. Tomorrow. Racing goggles for bb and made the world beautiful. Immediate results. Rejoice that we are worthy to be entrusted. Great message. You are strong enough to work. Principal. I'll tell pentecost. Application. Never knew enjoyed our conversation. Always trusted. The one god. Underway.

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2012Sep16Sermon128.mp3

My readings this morning to poems. The first by contemporary poet. Was lola. Szymborska. A contribution. Out of every hundred people. Those who always know better. 52. Doubting every step. Nearly the rest. Glad to lend a hand if it doesn't take too long. Has highest 49. Always good because they can't be otherwise. For well maybe five. Able to admire without envy. 18. Living in constant fear of someone or something. 77. Capable of happiness. Twenty-something tops. Harmless. Stingy. Savage in crowds. Half at least. Cruel when forced by circumstances. Better not to know. Ballpark. Wise after the fact. Just a couple more than wiser. Taking only things from life. 40. Constant pain no flashlight in the dark. 83. Sooner or later. Worthy of compassion. 99. Mortal. 100. Thus far. And the second reading from the 1930s. Play american universalist poet. Carl sandburg. Psalm. Scarlet. The sunset. Crimson. The dawn rising moon gold red curves through the night. Two stinking moongold red. Poppy red. A singing woman's lips. Rodney read the blush of true love's rose. We think the flash. Of a bird wing red. Red. The cardinals hat red. The communist flag. Token red. The carmen's right sleeve cross red. The emblem cross of surgeon nurse ambulance. Of hospital 10th and chip. Crimson blood. Stream sport together and together blended into one likeness. Single din mute communion catholic inflow with protestant nordic influx with negro. Scoffers. Sinners deniers in strength and rest from blood of christian believers. Help. And quiet. To christian believers. From blood of thieves. Harlots. Blasphemer. Deep. How deep. Deep. Od. Sister. The scarlet. And crimson. The human. Blood bank. Herein. To my mind. One of the greatest tragedies in religious history repeated sadly again and again. Is 1 a religion. Any religion. Refuses to accept the known laws and undeniable truths of science. It's a tragedy because whenever any religious dogma or belief is put up in rigid opposition to the established. Facts of science in the end. Religion. A factual necessity loses the argument. And ends up looking well silly. In the eyes of the world. Let me give a couple of quick examples. In the year 1632. The great italian physicist and astronomer galileo published a book entitled dialogue. On the two chief world systems. Which stated the scientific truth that contrary to catholic church doctrine of the time the earth. Revolves around the sun. Not the song. Around the earth. This new scientific understanding which contradicted the old homo ceterix homocentric. Earth centric theological assertion that the sun revolves around the earth. Let the galileo being tried. And convicted of heresy in a church court. Known as an inquisition. The church authorities ordered all copies of galileo's book. Destroyed. The great scientists in spite of knowing full well. The extra astrological truth was forced to publicly renounce his research. And he was sentenced to life in prison. Which was eventually commuted to permanent house arrest. Because he was such an important scientist. Galileo still under house arrest for daring. To tell the truth about. The solar system. Died. In 1642 still under house. And although soon all astronomers and physicists not to mention religious leaders around the world came to accept the fact. The earth did in fact revolve around the sun. It took the roman catholic church on tell are you ready for this. Until 1992. 359 years after the galileo heresy trial. To officially acknowledge the churches are in its. Here is a story from the november 10th 1992 edition of the new york times. Moving formerly to rectify a wrong pope john paul the second acknowledge in the speech today. The roman catholic church had aired. In condemning galileo 359 years ago for asserting that the earth. Revolves around the sun. The address by the pope before the pontifical academy of sciences close day 30. 18 year investigation. Into the church's condemnation of galileo and 1633. One of history's. The new york times said most. Notorious conflict. To make matters even worse scientific pollster john miller of northwestern university reports today that in the year 2012. When asked one-in-five american. Say. Set the sun. Revolves. Here's a second equally stark example of how modern science. Fact eventually always trumps old religious dogma. It is a known and irrefutable scientific fact and if you read doonesbury this morning you know where i'm going. Are plantar home earth. And countless plant and animal species have been in existence for millions of years though. And our earth has been evolving and changing with the rest of the solar system and the countless galaxies beyond and that every living thing on the planet. Has come into its present form because of countless years of evolution. Natural selection and adaptation to ever-changing conditions and environments. The mechanism of evolution has as you all know come to lie at the center of all scientific. And medical inquiry. That's the how life on this planet works. As famed geneticist. Danske. Wrote in 1973. Nothing in biology. Any sense. Except in the light of evolution. Today every reputable scientist american scientific organization. That has weighed in on the recent evolution versus. Intelligent design controversy. Has unequivocally affirmed. Evolution as the bedrock of modern scientific knowledge. I quote from a recent. American astronomical society statement on the importance. Just teaching evolution. In our nation. Evolution is a valid science. Theory for the origin of species. That has been repeatedly tested and verified. Observation formulation and testable statements. To explain these observations. And controlled experiments or additional observation. To find out whether these ideas. I right or wrong. This scientific theory. Is the unifying concept. That explains. The physical. Yet in ancient hebrew scriptures in the book of genesis and i aren't you all to read it if you haven't read it. In the first book of the bible is now called the bible which was written centuries before humanity even had a vague inkling. Of how life and the universe has evolve. There is a in that first chapter of genesis a beautiful and poetic description to meet wonderful mythological metaphor. Of how the world was created by god here's a early depiction of that in seven days. The tragedy here it seems to me is it as you know many conservative christians today insist. But this obviously poetical. How are earth came into being must be. Not as poetry but as literal. In other words. Then we must all believe our planet earth and everything that lives upon it was once and for all created in seven days seven actual 24-hour days. About six-and-a-half or 7,000 years ago. Disbelief called creationism. Flies in the face of absolutely everything earth scientists and astronomers. Know about the slow formation of our universe. The long history of our earth. And the steady applauding evolution. During the regular process of extinction. A plant and animal species and so creation is are applied. To the night everything. From the clear fossil records of the dinosaurs which date back. 200. 30 million years. The last going extinct. I think about. The five million years ago. To the truth that microbes. Evolve sometimes in a matter of weeks or months to become antibiotic-resistant strain. The cannot be treated by modern medicine evolution can be very. Quick. The creationist wedding wedded to the idea that creation is a fixed reality. Created in just seven actual days. Are trapped. As the school board of the state of louisiana is. In the scientifically unsustainable position. The god created our world just a few thousand. How much better i think it would be for conservative christian faith. If when faced with the irrefutable truth. Of millions of years of evolution. They simply said yes. Evolution is factually so. This is how our universe works. But the old poetic creation story. Found in genesis is still true. Because it beautifully described in the literary language of the day how the hand and the spirit of god. Was involved in shaping this glorious world of art. Religion and science do not have to be incompatible on this point. God can be seen. In evolution. My point here is that science. The rational pursuit of the facts about the natural world. And religion. The more elusive pursuit of spiritual and ethical truths that can help us. Live hopefully joyous responsible and good lives here on earth. Need not indeed ultimately cannot. Standing disagreement with one. This is why i someone who believes in the albeit separate importance of religion and science. I rejoiced a few years back when i heard. And now i'm getting to my actual sermon. What i heard that genetic scientists including a leading member of my river road congregation at the time of wonderful bright woman named alka jordan with him i spent much time. Had just completed. The complete mapping of the entire dna code for our species in the thesda maryland and iah. And discovered they. That all human beings. Every last one of us anywhere on the planet. Share an amazing 99.9% of our species. Genetic markers. Here is the way the national human genome research institute put this amazing news. About human oneness. When researchers completed the final analysis of the human. Janome project in april of 2003. They confirm. The three billion base parts of genetic letters in humans. We're 99.9% identical. In every human person on the planet. Clothes that similar identical. Wow. What an amazing and sacred. What the scientific discovery means is that all of the many and sometimes dramatically striking differences. That exist between persons and races. The wide diversity. Hair. I am skin color. The countless variations of our facial and bodily features. Our differences and height weight athletic abilities and gate. Not to mention our countless personality and intellectual differences. Are all accounted for. I know more than one 1000. Of what makes us human. And the really neat part. Of the scientific discovery about the human families overwhelming connectedness belonging and oneness. Is it this is what our religious tradition has been spiritually saying about humanity since its beginnings 500 years. We didn't even know about the janome project that we were right 500 years ago. Since they're very beginnings as organized religious and intellectual movement in europe in the 16th and 17th century. Both unitarianism. And universalism faith faithfully proclaim. The oneness. Humanity. The early unitarians most noticeably the transcendentalist in early new england. So all persons everywhere is sort of mystically connected together in one. Sacred family living in this oneness of earth and creation. And the early universalist saw every person as a beautiful child of god. That could not be separated from god's holy family no one was to be sent to hell. Everyone would be welcome. To the breast of. That was the. Listen to the way the reverend kenneth patton poetically summarized. The spirit of our faith in a reading called our common bond. Written in the 1950s before we used gender-inclusive language i tried that the agenda right here but it didn't work. So here's hear his words from the. Know the bonds by which we are bound to one another for we are not alone. A man is a road where his brothers may walk. His body is the bed of a stream through which flows the many waters of his world in his race. His heart is a city. We're his brothers may build their dwellings. A man is many wires. Strong in the wind and he must sing the song of the air that flows over him. Cheers awaken tears and laughter awakens laughter another. Man's sorrow takes up lodging. Within us. When does stranger weeps at the death of one he loves we too must weep. For the death of one is the symbol of the death of all and no man can escape its meaning. When one baby is born it is the symbol of all birth and life. Therefore all men must rejoice and lose their hearts to the child. Hunger b all men hadn't went on. All desire. Afflicts us alike all men are open. Buy love and move by the ecstasy. Another. 1 enveloping air gives breath to the men of all continents. And one sun shines on us all. From the same river of time has come all the waters of life all men smile with their lips and weep with their eyes. A smile disregard the color of the face. In the morning. Grief is a like. In alton. Pity and compassion. Are the deep works working. A man. They speak. Fourth. Completeness. Of his. And listen to the way american universalist and chicago poet carl sandburg. Express. The same vision of human oneness. In the preface to that wonderful photo book of the 1950s called the family of man many of you. May have your parents may have had that for. You are old enough. Maybe still have it on your shelves i don't know. Anyway listen to his preface. Did this book with showed so many beautiful photographs. Full from all over the. Sandberg said. Everywhere is love. And love making. Weddings and babies from generation to generation keeping the family of man alive and continuing. Everywhere the sun moon and stars the climates and weathers have meaning for people. Do meanings very we are alike in all countries. And tribes and trying to read what sky and land. And see say to us. Alike and ever alike are we on all continents in the need of love. Food clothing work speech worship sleep. Games dancing fun. From the tropics to the arctic. Humanity lives with these needs. So alive. So inexorable. This vision of human oneness. And belonging. Perhaps the most. Enduring legacy. Of our liberal faith. Unitarian universalism. Has always always been animated. By the theological and ethical affirmation. Human connected. So now science is. As i have already pointed out. This is the one theological unethical affirmation. That is profoundly confirmed. By human. Janome. We belong. Again the scientific evidence is irrefutable. When it comes to the genetic marker. 3 billion of 5. The determine who and what we shall be. Human beings are only one. 1000. 99. .9%. So why is it. I spiritually. Why is it that so many religions. Religions that have big shiny buildings in this town. Devote so much spiritual time and effort to divide. Humanity along this cosmic fault line. Or that. Why is it that so many religions. In the face of the scientific evidence which confirms our radical oneness. And our belonging to one another. Why do they spend so much spiritual capital. Trying to separate people i don't know like. Sheep from the goats. The saved from the damned. The righteous from those who are deemed unrighteous. The true believers from the false believers people of the light from people of the darkness god's people. And those people of the devil why do. Spend so much. Capital. The spirit wasting. I might as well be right out and say it. This unitarian universalist believe that. Profound spiritual tragedy. It's so many religions. Refuse to take the reality and the beauty of our radical human oneness. Into their hearts. And into their beliefs. This is of course only natural form. I'm a third-generation unitarian universalist. Who grew up having our faith traditions belief in the oneness. Of humanity repeatedly affirmed. Tumi. And i find the assertion. The humanity. Must be spiritually divided. No matter which imaginary faultline other religions put out there for you to divide people. I find these divisions. Spiritually. Repugnant. An ethically. Immoral. That is why. As i suggested to my sermon title this morning that when it comes to understanding humanity at least. It comes to our theology of first. Unitarian universalist or 99% 99.9% right. We are right. When we see that same universal beauty radiating out of every individual. We are right. When we refused to deny our care and concern for those who are outwardly at least. They appear very different from ourselves we are right. When we fight for social and economic justice for persons everywhere no matter how far from us they may be on this globe. We are right by god we are right. When we proclaim that every man woman and child. The part of our human family. That deserves respect. And dignity. And protection. And compassion. And justice and love. For the life of me. I cannot understand how some religions. With their share to be sure of positive perspective. Sound effects and nova beliefs. How so many religions have gotten trapped in the sad spiritual place. They spend so much of their passion and resources deciding how to distance themselves. In this regard and judgment. From so many. Of their human. Again genetic science. Clearly telling us. The people are much more alike. Then they are different. So what a blessing it would be of all religions the world over would focus on that. Holy and healing truth. And begin to act weird all human beings as if they were part of their human family which in fact science. Tells us. Let me come at this from a slightly different angle. Today is earth science. The physical study of our planet. And it's changing climate. And the challenges now faced by the countless plant and animal species were. Inhabited. Today's earth science now irrefutably is telling us. Homosapien. As a dominant. Species. That our future as a species. Now depends on us all around the globe in every continent land working together. To ensure our earth's environmental. Let me give this one concrete example greenhouse-gas in. We all we now know that if we are to prevent the earth's atmosphere from overheating to disastrous levels. All the nations of the world. Those already highly developed. Like us and those found in europe. And the rapidly developing ones like india china and brazil. All the nations must immediately cooperate. In limiting emissions. Cars. Cattle. Empower plan. Name three of the largest offenders. House gases. And if over the coming years the earth begins to dangerously overheat. There will be no successful separation. Between winning nation. And losing. Nation. We will all lose because. We share the same. Limited. Air supply. There will be no successful separation. If we do not solve our environmental problems greenhouse-gas from the damned. And the same. We will all be. Global warming. Is a problem. Humanity as a whole will either solve. Or. Not. Will either work together on this or we will perish. Together in. It is that simple. And it is that star. So. In addition to the human genome project. Tells us. That genetically speaking. We are 99.9% in this together earth science is reminding us that. Comes to earth. Inability as a species. On the planet. We are not 99.9. In this together. We are 100. I believe in the long history of religion. The time has come. For us to put away all doctrines. Acumen. Divisiveness. And then brace only those beliefs. An understanding. And ethical imperatives. Which support and remind us. Of our holy. Human belonging. To one another. The essence of our unitarian universalist faith is simply this. A bold unitary vision. Of all persons in life. We are in this. And this faith and i know i've shared it before. Dysphasia. Ivar's. In the oneness. Of this earth end of humanity is beautifully summarized. By these lines. From carl sandburg with which he ends his epic poem. The people yes. It is what i leave you with today. There's only one horse on the earth. And his name is all horse. There was only one bird of the air and her name is all wings. There was only one fish in the sea. And that fish's name is all films. There was only one man in the world and his name is all men. There was only one woman in the world and her name is all women there was only one child in the world and that child's name is all children there is only one maker in the world. And that baker's children cover the earth and they are called. All. Gods.

uufvb_org

2011Feb06Sermon128.mp3

It's indeed a great privilege and a pleasure to be with you today. I've ever spoken at a lot of uu churches around the country in fact about 90 uu churches around the country. I love you your churches. There's always a spirit of welcome. Add a spirit of of appreciation for diversity and respect for each other. Spirit of love. And i celebrate that with you. And i i mention that because of course i find that same spirit in many other churches. But that's not always the case there's not always the same warmth and welcome. Another church. But i always get that and always sensed that in you your churches. That's why you celebrate that with you today. What i serve the united methodist church in dallas center iowa. I became acquainted with the usual minister in des moines. And when she realized that i believed in universalism she invited me to attend a special service that they were going to be having. It was going to be in the small town of mitchellville which is just east of des moines. And it was said to be in a church that was originally a universalist church. Although there's not a congregation there at that time. But they had the one service there each summer as a way of celebrating their universalist heritage. So i was happy to accept your invitation to join them for that service. And i'll always remember when i walked up the walk in front of that church over-the-door tread universalist church. And i thought i have arrived at home. Universalism has been very important to me for a lot of years. And as a result i wrote a book on the subject and spent too well started in 2003 for three years full time on the road speaking about universalism. And now we're beginning the fourth-year on the road halftime. I continuing to speak on universalism. Today i'm going to be talking about the history and the significance of the teaching of universalism. It is sometimes referred to as universal salvation so i'd like to offer a definition of salvation that is probably different from what you've heard from other sources. You're probably aware that at least among conservative christians. Salvation is to accept jesus as your personal savior so he can go to heaven when you die. Why believe that's not a very adequate understanding of salvation. And so a definition that works for me is that salvation is to learn and grow either with or without divine influence so as to experience. life in this life and beyond. And if you don't believe in the divine or if you don't believe in life after death. You can just leave those parts off the definition. And so salvation to me in this most basic definition is to learn and grow so as to experience the fullness of life. So in contrast to what many people believe i reject the idea that a lot of people are going to suffer forever in hell. Instead i believe everyone will eventually experience fullness of life. Will experience salvation. During the time of the early church it was commonly taught in the religions of the day that a lot of people would spend eternity suffering in hell. There was at least one exception to that and they were the zoroastrians. The zoroastrians where universalist. Also jesus in contrast to his jewish upbringing. I did.. I bet everyone would eventually experience salvation. That's clear to me from many passages of of passages in the bible. In the environment though where the common knowledge or the conventional wisdom of the day was that that a lot of people would spend eternity suffering in hell it was difficult to convince them otherwise. And therefore there were many followers of jesus. Who did professor be followers of jesus. But they held on to their belief of endless suffering of many people beyond death. However. The world lot of people who were convinced. Of the true message who are truly and fully converted to christianity in my estimation. In other words they were universalist. Origin and pimento alexander alexandria. Where are the most prominent and most significant theologians universalist theologians during the time of the early church. There were others including gregory of nyssa ambrose bishop of milan. And jerome who translated the bible into latin which is known as the vulgate. There were. Many. Prominent women who are involved in in the in the christian church which was to a large degree and maybe the vast majority of were universalist. There was macrina the younger and macrina the elder i guess they weren't very imaginative their names. But they were they were universalist and they are considered saints in the catholic church today. As i said there were some people who weren't fully converted to christianity. For example there was tertullian who became a christian at age 40 and he held onto his belief of endless suffering of many people beyond death. In fact he so relish the idea of people suffering in hell. That he said he believed that that one of the best things about heaven would be the superb view of the damned frying in hell. Now doesn't the thought of that just make you feel good all over. Just think about that. A person who profess to be a follower of jesus and follower of the one who taught so much about love and compassion and forgiveness and mercy. Good so relish the idea of so many people suffering excruciating torment in hell forever. The theologian augustine was another example of a person who wasn't fully converted. He became a christian at age 32 and all and any continue to hold onto his belief of endless suffering of many people beyond death. But augustine was a pretty good pilloton in many respects. And so his theology soon i started to become dominant in the church. Not surprisingly that led to division and controversy over the issue of universalism. In order to resolve this problem though the roman emperor called a church meeting the roman emperor justinian called the church meeting. It was the fifth ecumenical council and it was in the year 553. Now does it seem a little strange to you that a roman emperor would call it church meeting. Well. It makes perfect sense when you think about the fact that emperor's like to control people. And the people had had learned that threatening people with eternal damnation was a foolproof means of controlling them. Of course you know that that happens in churches yet today. The vast majority of churches in our country. Control people by threatening them with eternal damnation if they don't do what they say in and that sort of thing. I'm sure you're very familiar with that. You see if you can convince people that the spending eternity in hell is a real possibility. Then you've got them where you want them. You can get them to do anything you want by threatening them with eternal damnation. The problem is. The universalists didn't take the abandoning he'll seriously they could threaten them all they wanted and they didn't take it seriously. And two other frustration that the emperor allied himself with the hellraisers of the day. With those who advocated the teaching of unending suffering of many people beyond death. And together they pushed through a resolution which abolished the teaching of universalism. Now it's not surprising that with all the powers of the church and the state against the teaching. It pretty well died out. For a while actually for a long time. And that it lasted for about 1,000 years. But. You can't suppress the truth in definitely right. Eventually it'll come bubbling up some place. And that's what happened about 300 years ago. It really started before 300 years ago. But about 300 years ago it started to become a significant movement again. John wesley who was the primary leader and organizer of the methodist movement back in the 18th century. Had a close association with a group of christians called a moravian. Do the moravian for universalist. But early in his life and ministry wesley would argue with them i thought they were really wrong. But he continued his lifelong association with the moravian. And it seems that they eventually wore him down. Because wesley to came to believe in in universalism. I love to tell united methodist that john wesley eventually came to believe in universalism. And that is because in united methodist church the most conservative members are ones who are most likely to reject the teaching of universalism. At the same time they can often be heard to say. Let's go back and re-establish the teachings of john wesley. And i say yeah let's do that. Because he came to embrace universalism later in his life. The american colonies proved to be a particularly fertile ground for the spread of the teaching of universalist something. George de bonneville came over from france and 1741 to pennsylvania. And did a lot to spread the teaching there. John murray came over from england in 1770. And he worked closely with the quakers in the baptist. In spreading the teaching of universalism throughout the american colonies. The first it's not too surprising to us. That he would work with the quakers in spreading universalism. After all the quakers today. At least a lot of them are quite open to the teaching of universalism. But with baptist that would seem to be a different situation. But the baptist back then we're rather open-minded and then minion believed in universalism. And i'm happy to tell you that there are a growing number of southern baptists who are now starting to embrace the teaching of universalism as well is that cool. The sad thing is. When they start to believe in universalism they're no longer welcome in the southern baptist church and so they expel those heretics. And but it's not a significant percent but it's a significant number of people. Who are beginning to embrace universalism from that conservative heritage. And there's others like how the american baptist especially in the northern part of the country who are very open to the teaching of universalism. So anyway i've worked closely with the quakers and the baptist. And spreading that universalism. And it was under his leadership that the universalist church in america was organized. At the time of the modern just as in in the time of the early church there were women involved. I in the movement as we heard in our story for all ages this morning olympia brown. What's an example of a prominent woman who had leadership and it was in 1863. Text who's the first woman to be ordained in any denomination. We in the united methodist church i think maybe many that thought we've been fairly progressive in that regard. We did that in 1956. We're almost a hundred years behind the universalists in ordaining women about the sad thing isn't it. But but we're still ahead of some of the others through some we still won't do it. Anna and anyway so that that's a sad thing. But anyway olympia brown certainly is an example of one that that we can celebrate. Jose blue during the time of his life and ministry. What's the most prominent leader in the universalist church. When he died in 1852. There was about 800,000 members in the universalist church. So it was a strong movement at to be sure. Potato universalism hasn't been promoted only by the universalist or the unitarians for that matter. But has been espoused by other leaders and theologians and other denominations as well. For example back in the nineteenth century there was a theologian named friedrich schleiermacher. I wonder how many have heard of old friedrich. Alright. That's pretty close to average music. I get maybe one or two or three percent of heard of old friedrich. But i was not is not a very well-known theologian. But it was a fine theologian and a strong advocate of universalism. Besides that i just like to say his name. Schleiermacher that a wonderful name i just love it. That in the toy that rather you have the 20th century. There were others who promoted the teaching of universalism that everyone would eventually experience fulton supply for salvation. There's carl barton paul tillich dietrich bonhoeffer leslie weatherhead and others. So the teaching of universalism has a long rich history. Especially for more than 500 years that's a long time cuz it was in the council of the fifth ecumenical council near 553 that the church turned against it. So universalism was a prominent teaching for more than 500 years following the time of jesus. And especially for the last three hundred years as well. But you might wonder why is this such an important issue for me. Because this is really not too consistent with what is usually considered official united methodist doctrine. To believe in universalism. So why would i find myself swimming upstream in my denomination in order to to promote the teaching of universalism. What seems to mean that. The teaching of a god of eternal damnation that's prevailed for far too long in most churches and in our society at large and with devastating consequences. One of the reasons this is so important to me is because the teaching of a god of eternal damnation turns many people away from god. People know that they would never ever punish their own children without end and they just kept relate to a god who people say does that very same thing. Enter the teaching of a god of eternal damnation turns many people away from god. Sometimes he become atheist. Now. I need to acknowledge. But i've learned a lot about atheism from you use. And ungrateful. When we went on the road my wife and i she is back there by the way i guess we didn't introduce her but my wife darling. I in or 3 i thought i knew something about atheism and i did a car sign your little bit. Button in speaking at you your churches i've met a lot of wonderful 80s. You know i thought. If you're surely must be sad people. That's not been the case at all. I found that for many people atheism they find it to be a thoughtful responsible mature way to approach life and it works for them. Whoop with people for whom atheist and works i really don't have any difficulty. However when people become atheists and other denominations is usually not such a positive thing. And that is because they still having the back of their mind the possibility of spending eternity in hell. And. If there's no god to rescue them from that plight than they conclude that they are doomed and that leads to despair and meaninglessness. In a lot of churches people attend church only at christmas and easter. And there's a good reason for that. Those are two times the celebration and on those three times there's little danger that anybody is going to bring up that awful teaching of a god of eternal damnation. And so is that because they're too lazy to get up and go to church the rest of the time. It's because of the need for self-preservation they've heard more damnation teaching than they care to hear about they don't want to hear anymore. Enter the go to church only on christmas at the times of christmas and easter the two times of celebration when there's little danger that there's going to they're going to hear more about damnation teaching. And then there's perhaps half of the people in our country who don't go to church even at christmas and easter. I talked to an awful audubon church people and they show up and bring up the idea of unending suffering of many people beyond death. That it's obviously it's an issue that weighs heavily upon them. And they they seem to do hope that somebody will agree with them the tell him that that it ain't so. it's not like that. They seem to instinctively reject the idea that god is a monster a tyrant who throws naughty people into hell of a torture them forever because they were naughty. They also seem to instinctively reject the idea that god is weak and stupid. And therefore either camp saving save everybody or really doesn't care to do that. You see what kind of a goddess like that. And why would anybody in their right mind want to serve a god who is either a tyrant. Who throws people into hell forever because they were naughty. Or who is too weak to save anybody or doesn't care to save everybody. And that's not much of a god. And so many people aren't aware that there are progressive the united methodist churches and episcopal and presbyterian and lutheran. As well as you your churches of course. And they're not aware that there are churches that teach love instead of judgement. That teach hope instead of damnation. That's what they drop out of church altogether. Will want to make the world a better place. And this is the issue that motivates me more than anything else to go on the road and talk about universalism. We all want to make the world a better place. But it seems to me that we're not going to have very much success in doing that. As long as the teaching of a god of eternal damnation continues to pray prevail in most churches. And in our society at large. And the reason for this is because what we believe about god has a powerful and direct influence on how we live our lives. If we believe that god is judgmental and condemning and cruel. Then it's very very easy to justify living that same way. Ourselves. It's like the old song one tin soldier goes. Go ahead and hate your neighbor go ahead and cheat a friend. Do it in the name of heaven. You can justify it in the end. Sadly i see people every day in our own country and around the world. Seeking to justify evil behavior in the name of heaven in the name of god. And it's much easier to do that if we believe that god has judgmental and condemning and cruel. On the other hand if we believe that god is loving and kind and merciful and gracious and patient at nurturing until i. Then we're much more likely to reflect those values in our lives as well. This is of enormous significance. I believe that if we are going to change the world for the better. Perhaps the most important single thing that we need to do is to change people's perception of god. That is because i'm convinced that you can't raise people's behavior above their perception of god. And so if we're going to change the world for the better least significantly better. We have to change people's perception of god from being judgemental and cruel. To being loving. During the civil war abraham lincoln was sometimes criticized. Because he loved his enemies too much. He was told you shouldn't love your enemies you should seek to destroy them. To which lincoln replied. Do i not destroy my enemies when i make them my friends. Is that powerful. Do i not destroy my enemies when i make them my friends. Abraham lincoln was the universalist he rejected the teaching of a god of eternal damnation he believed in the power of love and the preciousness of each individual and that everyone would eventually experience fullness of life. And as a result he he could love even his enemies. And what a difference that made and how he lived his life. We are universal has who believe in the power of love in the preciousness of each individual i believe are called to live the same way. And as a result we can. Rise above being judgemental and cruel. In order to transform the world true love. So we can believe in universalism who believe in the preciousness of each individual who believe in the power of love. Have a powerful and wonderful message to share with the world. And it is important that we do so. There's a man named robert short who wrote a book called something to believe in a wonderful universalist book is it's a powerful is a funniest book i've ever read my life. And he denied it but it's a powerful book on universalism i highly recommend it. Something to believe in by robert short. And that bucky says there is too much at stake for us to allow ourselves to be intimidated by the wrathful self-righteousness of the hell-raising gloomy doomie's. And that some statement. There is too much at stake. Frost to allow ourselves to be intimidated. By the wrathful self-righteousness of the hell-raising gloomy doomie's. And then it goes on to say therefore our witness to them should be just as aggressive and unambiguous as there is has been to us. Fundamentalist can be intimidating can't. They go around quoting the bible and asking people whether or not they're saved. They exhibit such confidence. So they can be intimidating. But. I say let's not be intimidated by them. After all we are the ones with the good news for the world. They in contrast spread a teaching that is divisive and leads to cruel and inhuman behavior and justifies abuse. What the attitude of the fundamentalist. It really is no big deal to go to war and kill people of other faiths or people who don't have any particular faith at all. After all they believe that those people are all destined to go to hell and therefore they're really not very valuable and therefore it really is not that big of a deal in order to kill them. Also with the attitude of the of the fundamentalist. It's really no big deal to torture people. Whether that's at guantanamo bay or any place else. After all they contend that god fashioned hell specifically for the purpose of torturing naughty people forever. Ab okay for god to torture people it surely must be okay for us to do it. Besides the torture that we might inflict upon others whether it's waterboarding or whatever. Is nothing compared to what they say that god will inflict upon people forever in a lake of fire no less. So we who believe in love. Who believe in universalism who believe in the preciousness of each individual. Have a wonderful message and wonderful good news to share with the world. So i say let's not be intimidated. The teaching of a god of eternal damnation leads to wars and racism and oppression and abuse. While the spread of the teaching of universalism leads to equality respect. Love and dignity for all. So i say let's not be intimidated by the hellraisers. Instead. Let us freely and boldly proclaim to the world a wonderful message of universalism. And the world will be infinitely better off because of it.

uufvb_org

2014Dec07Sermon32.mp3

Good morning welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach my name is avani shelton member of this congregation and we're so happy you've decided to join us this morning. Whether you're young or old gay or straight. Black or white or some other marvelous shade of humanity you are welcome. We hope that you will find something in this service that's meaningful to you and that gives you strength and courage enjoy to face the coming week. The opening words this morning are by howard thurman and it's called the work of christmas. When the song. Is still. When the star in the sky. When the kings and princes. Our home. When the shepherds are back with their flock. The work of christmas. Begins. Define the lost. To heal the broken. To feed the hungry. To release the prisoner. To rebuild the nation's. To bring peace among neighbors. How to make music. In the heart. Our guest minister this morning. Is reverend robert mcdonald. Reverend mcdonald is currently serving the uu congregation in stuart. Where our senior minister reverend alexander is preaching this morning. Reverend mcdonald is an ordained methodist ministers minister who retired from a pastoral ministry in the new york area. Several years ago. And subsequently took on ministerial duties at the treasure coast. He says he's planning to read retire. In another year or so. I'm happy to be with you here again. Don't have the experience our colleague to the south north palm head. When he and i exchanged. Are in september. On that sunday in september one of his parishioners. Decided it would be a good sunday to go check out the minister in the church in stuart. When he and i exchanged that sunday. Congregation. Was rather surprised and so was the minister visiting. It has been a joy to be among several years i discovered in my ministry. The new york island. That long-term ministries worked because you had pie. To build things grow. I mean you had bombs of course but you kept trying new things. Last time i was here i believe i mentioned. How we were. Working on a program we called bridge gathering to muslims and us. A together. The rabbi in the mom and i had good rapport and then our people got together and we have. Questions of each other and listen to each other respectfully it seemed like a good thing. That's kind of going to the backburner because the rabbi has been really busy. Now we're doing something the different i just thought i'd like to mention. We're calling it the face of the treasure coast. You were inviting leaders of neighbouring congregations in our community. To come and teach anyone in the community who wants to come. About their religion. Denomination. We started in november. And our first guests were the bishop and some missionaries. Of the palm city mormon congregation that doesn't happen too often. But the bishop came and some of his workers. Did the deal is you have a half an hour to put your best foot forward. Half-an-hour acuity. And for a half an hour the mormon bishop. Told us about their beloved prophet. Beloved king james translation. Pretty conservative and it seemed uncritical. Combination really really interesting. About a week after that presentation at our church. The new york times came out with a. An article about joseph smith maybe some of you saw that. The mormon church had actually put it out. Because so much is becoming known. But it wanted to get some control of it. And one of the things becoming known was that the founder joseph smith. Had a lot of wives. But it came out that joseph smith did also. One of the difficult troubling aspects of it is. Joseph smith. In eternity. We don't think in terms like this but. Family and eternity. Mean alot to mormons. And so the founder found wives to his liking. And steal them to him. In eternity. I don't know how is the weather. About spending eternity. With your partner or your mate. My wife on sundays would say it's already been an eternity but this was really really troubling to a lot of mormon women wise to discover that their father had taken. Eternity. So it'll be interesting to see what effect that has on. What i would call a fairly conservative. Critical. Denomination. Remind me of a great truth. The truth will set you free. But first it will make you miserable. Have you ever found. I believe in poetry. After nearly a half-century as a minister. And leading that many advents and christmases. One might expect to have the meaning of the holiday and the stories behind it. I don't. I'm pretty clear. What is 9. It's central meaning. A couple years ago i did a series at tcuc on. For the holidays. I decided to begin with a little adventure. Into insanity. Even when you think in all humility. Your life partner has just about everything in life. Hiroshima. Because she or he has you. Even after you have said to each other. Let's not spend needlessly for christmas. Still. You want to give something. So we identified a convenient little digital camera. Carrying around more easily than the bigger one with the bulky changeable lenses. Especially for when she is walking the beach. And on a monday before the walmart black. Friday flyer arrive. And behold there is the camera. $20 less than i had found it on the internet. Next to it is written. Sale at midnight black friday. And while supplies last. So why does tide. I really don't expect to get a camera out of this. But if i stay up. I will have an educational experience. And see your spice of life i haven't seen before. And of course i hope not to be seen there by anyone i know. And not to be moral there. Specials at 10 p.m.. I know i won't have to the store for a man. Crush to go in. The store is open all night. Play arrive about 10:30 p.m. to try to park and i got lucky. The lot is full many cars are hunting a space. But i found someone is pulling out. And i would not have to challenge anyone. Orbit threatened for the spot. I enter the store and it looks like what i've seen on tv. Times square on new year's eve. Except there are people with shopping carts full of treasures and children. And the carts are trying to move with difficulty. Nobody can move very quickly. Through the store. Immediate instinct. Wallet from back pocket the front pocket. There had to be at least 25 to 30 police throughout the store. 801. I hope you are getting overtime for this. He says walmart is paying us not your taxes sir. When i get to the photo department i can't find any cameras. But i'm told they are hidden in a mound. What that means is. Where is there was an aisle by the food section. There is a long mound covered in gray and brown paper. Were the type sign on top that says not for sale until midnight. And it is guarded at both ends. And lined on both sides with waiting people. So you have to find out. Where your target purchase is. Close to it as possible. And stand there and wait. 490 minutes. Luckily i do. Someone head into the brown paper. And there was the display of camera speaking out. I'm in the second row behind it. And i say kind of for fun. Do seniors get to go first acquire responds no. Girl turns to me and says. Color do you want. Oh no i say i can reach. At 11:45 the paper comes off the display. At about 11:55 bell or whistle goes off and in two or three seconds the mound display shelves are empty. I had for the checkout with a camera and an education. And no violence. Into our condo 45. With no honey i'm home. Lori duster from the pillow enough to say. And your topic on sunday is sanity. It's not about that as important as the economy. It's not primarily about that. I read the christmas story every year like poetry. Poetry is what the hearts try to express often in the realm of the ineffable the inexpressible alba. Mystery. It is often the language of love imagination. And longing for a better world. As pascal wrote the heart has reasons the head doesn't know about. So christmas a child born admits violence to heaven singing of peace and goodwill in an area that has never known it. I called his poetry. Metaphor myth. About what the heart wants to know. And want to be true. Karen armstrong in the book. A short history of myth. Claims that cultures societies before us. Used meth as a way of surviving. Of understanding our relationship to the universe and to each other. Not about another world. They were attempts to understand our own enough to get by. To survive in it. Armstrong says the western world in the last two centuries. Has reduced mr.. In fairy tail. Los. Christmas story miss or poetry if you will. Is full of rich pregnant symbol and metaphor. I believe it because i wanted to be true. For me it's like other truths and meanings in our lives. If we have a life partner it's like the truth or meaning of that relationship. Is the truth or meaning of our lives in good part because we chose it. And two people committed to it enough to make it work. And last. For many and for me. The christmas story is a love story. About what the universe was meant to be. What humankind can still be. It is a story full of poetry and promise. The story starts with a pregnancy. Most of our story start that way. So a young woman conceive. I've always been guided by the way my history prof at the. Hebrew prophet. At the university of chicago where i started seminary. How he explained the nativity story. He said the stories had nothing to do. Without jesus was conceived you know one or two human parents participating. The idea of the virgin birth human parent participating. One of the five fundamentals. A fundamentalist christian faith. And we know they were conceived in the early 20th century. So we know how the idea of. But not how the birth came about. We assume like. Most you could say. The way that professor put it. Those old jews who wrote these stories. Believe in gynecologic wonders. Writing in symbols about what he came to mean to them. To a few. And then too many. It's poetry and metaphor. A young woman gets pregnant 14 or 15. And the most eloquent poetry is placed on her lips. Define. An exalted those of low degree. The idea of shalom peace justice finally. Our country is certainly struggling with justice4all and needs to. It's hard to believe and live with what keeps happening between police and black men. Shepherd stand watch over the birthing event. I guess they represent exalting those of low degree. Shepherd's i've been told when storing israel. Shepherd's the bedouins. Number among the most unwashed and unsent the earth. And they hear the angel chorus singing. The universe's craving. For peace and goodwill. Have you ever heard and angelic choir. Other than your own here. Anand is completed by wiseman. Maybe stargazers from the east following a star. That shines over bethlehem. Maybe the poetry the messer meaning here. Is that there is something for all to see. And to appreciate. The great theologian scholar marcus ford road and one of our study books. What does it mean to say that a star. Pointed toward the village. It doesn't make sense. It's poetry. What board wrote made sense to me. Point killer place. Well i want to tell you about a stunning sight i awoke to. I only scored once. Here's the theological prelude. Discussion group had been studying for airman did jesus exist. Nothing is known about jesus humble beginnings. Absolutely nothing. So all that christmas pageant material from the two gospel birth stories two very different birth stories. After his death crucifixion. Nothing to do with how we was born. Only to do with followers. In fact so little is known about the actual life of jesus. That there's a group leaders called. Mythicist. Mythical mythicist that's what are man calls them. Memphis's who believe jesus is a total invention. Airman who began as an evangelical christian. But it's now an agnostic and ancient manuscripts. View very clearly. He believes jesus. Not the jesus christians believe in. One of the deepest hole leading up to. One of the details of the two birth stories. 3 astrologers aka wiseman to a manger scene. And this other theologians convincingly. How can i stop. How can i start point on earth. About a year ago. I had this epiphany. Hutchinson island. Outside our balcony window. Early one morning. In a beam of light from a star. Came across the water. Assure. Call store window. And if the end of it looks like a little spotlight. I don't know how it formed a little spot at the shore. But i suspect it was because of the depth of the water there. I didn't take this as a divine message for me. How interesting. Maybe marcus borg and i can still be taught something. Will a couple months ago it happened again. And better than before. My little three-legged alarm clock monkey our cat. Did her thing about 4:45 a.m.. She looks you on the nose and how can you be unhappy with somebody that looks you on the nose i sat up and looked out. Streaks of light coming to the shore. I went outside onto the deck closer. They were parallel beams. One from a star. And one from a sliver of the moon. It wasn't like that beautiful moon last night. With the lines of the clouds separating and then rising and its glory full glory if it was more like an 80 or parallel. An ending at our shore. I tried to capture with a cell phone camera. With my ipad camera. And then with my frost professional like cannon no luck. Site. Who is what 250,000 miles away probably trillions what are the odds of parallel beams. The message to me was not lost. Always look out the window when you get up. And thank that cat. If i ever awake. Three parallel beams. My unitarian bent will be in jeopardy. What is there. In this magical. Mystical mythical poetry metaphor. Yes that we still wish to be true. People of no particular earthly promise her power. Go on to write in print large enough. Four generations later to see. Peace and goodwill for the plan from the beginning. Every pregnancy begins or should begin with an angel whispering. A child of the most high. Where are the highest value we know. Is about to be born. And the universe has a song of peace and goodwill. And we can hear it. And hope for it. And work for it. This later. As a message the world needs to hear. Goodwill. Opportunity. For everybody. Every christmas. Story. Reminds me of words attributed to show. Or bobby kennedy. I see things that never were. And ask why not. Put in theaters the meaning of the season for all of us and hopefully reminds us of the gift we all are.

uufvb_org

2011Mar06Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. Stay when will get much-anticipated rain i hope. Welcome. The warmth and safety of this place. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach florida. Please know that you are welcome here no matter how you come to us. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight. Black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. Whether you were feeling on top of the world or. Down in the dumps. Somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you just. You come this morning. In all of your humanness. We hope that you will find the service meaningful and enriching this morning. And then you will find something here that nourishes your spirit. And feed your soul. And gives you renewed energy and joy. For the coming week. Honest bring a friend sunday when we extend a special welcome to folks in our community who may not be very familiar with our community of faith. I thought it would get right to the heart of the matter. And share with you and my brief time this morning. What i believe it means at its core to be a unitarian universalist. This can be summed up by thinking one word. Being a unitarian universalist means that you are an architect. Not an architect. Like frank lloyd wright. Was a famous twentieth-century designer of great and beautiful buildings. Including several of our churches in the midwest because he was after all a unitarian. Universal. But i'm not talking about. Baptized of arkansas. Being a unitarian universalist means that you are rather an architect. Of the heart. Being a unitarian universalist simply means that you devote a lifetime. To this. The purposeful. And compassionate structuring. Of both self and society. Let me say this is slightly different way. Being a unitarian universalist means that you spend your life striving to intentionally shape. Both your own personal culture. And the culture of your community. In accordance with our 7 unitarian universalist principles. The seven unitarian universalist principles that we print every sunday in the order of service. I want to remind you about the principles that guide our faith. First there is very important. Inherent worth and dignity. Of every person. And then seeking justice. Equity. Compassion. In human relations that's a small order is. Acceptance of one another. And encouragement of everyone to spiritual growth. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning claudia talked about. We're questioning. The right of conscience. And the use of the democratic process. Within our congregations and in the society at large we are the quintessential american faith-based. On the principal. The goal of world community. Peace liberty and justice for all. And the seventh principle we added in the 70. Because of the ecological crisis we knew was coming. Respect. For the interdependent web of all existence. Of which we are irretrievably. Being a unitarian universalist means that you spend a lifetime lending yourself. Your best self. To these seven noble dream. For the human. Enterprise both. In the daily rounds of your personal life. And in your larger life as a citizen. Of the wider world in the hope that someday humanity. Mysam. They achieve some of that justice equity uncompassionate. Freedom and respect. We're all persons. And all communities. Now. Because we are a liberal non credo religion. That doesn't insist is claudia pointed out that everyone think and believe alike. And that is the key thing that anyone must understand about us when you come to these fused not everyone sitting next to you thinks the same way you do. We are a non credo religion. Because we do not insist the people. I think exactly like many in our culture. Mistakenly believe that unitarian universalism. Is a low-key. Wishy washy kind of anything goes religion. Although garrison keillor. Of lake wobegon fame. Happens to be very fond of unitarian universalist. Many of the jokes he repeated ad nauseam tell on the prairie home cuz he only picks on us cuz he likes us. He likes us and he likes the lutherans of which he is a part in any case. He has perpetuated i think unwittingly. Are i think undeserving image is a lightweight not serious face just two of his favorite uu jokes if i might. 1 saturday night on his radio show garrison. Lightheartedly told of walking into our modern building our modern church in santa fe which is i admit you a little new ag of education. And being shocked you said in his radio show not to see the ten commandments projected up on the wall but the 10 suggestions. And on another occasion and in one of his books. He describes with great relish and ridicule the earnest nineteenth-century is slander. Unitarian missionaries and there were lots of unitarian icelanders in the upper midwest. He points out that the icelandic unitarian missionaries came to lake wobegon quote. To save the indians. Through interpretive dance. Now thanks to garrison keillor and others their whole lot of folks out there and trust me i hear this all the time because i'm unitarian universalist minister. A whole lot of people out there who think mistakenly think that being that unitarian-universalist means that you can quote. Anything you want or quote believe anything you want. Nothing could be further. From the truth to sink this about us is to miss entirely. Both the soul and the substance of our faith. We are open to new ideas we are involving free religious tradition. Refusing to trap itself in dogma or creed. We are always open to new ways of thinking. But being a unitarian universalist means that you take your religious and ethical life. With a terrible seriousness of purpose. As i have already affirm. Being a you you mean that you are an architect of the heart. Devoting a lifetime. For the purposeful and compassionate structuring. Of both self. And society in accordance. With r7. Guiding. Principal. And this is not something new for us as a denomination this idea. We unitarian-universalist have understood this. Dual responsibility. Of intentionally and compassion restructuring both self and society. To be at the center of the religious life. For hundreds of years. From their earliest beginnings and claudia mentioned that we were too liberal. Christian seth unitarians in the universal. Since our earliest days. We have been guided we were guided by two interconnected slogans are saying. The one early in our church history always talked about salvation. By character. Salvation. By character. The idea that it's better to ultimately that each individual. Shape his or her character. In principle than compassionate way. And now the other hand. We talked about something else. Bringing the duty of religion to bring the kingdom of god. To work. That is what is a movement. We have always been devoted to the task of helping to shape society. To reflect the highest and noblest ideals. We have. For humanity. So these two ideas shaping of character the shaping of society. Still life. Center of our faith journey. I want to take youtube these. First. Devoting your lifetime. To intentionally shaping yourself intentionally shaping yourself. End of the best human being you can become. What this means. Is it at unitarian universalist. You are creating within your own particular human being and interior architect. An interior architect or not some rickety. Sing of bamboo to start temporally snap-together. But real solid architect. An architecture. A design of decency. Inside you. A design. Of decency in intensional design. As you grow your own self and soul. Into your highest potential. More than 150 years ago the famous unitarian clergyman william ellery channing said. Be careful how you live. It is the only sermon. You will ever preach. And unitarian bard ralph waldo emerson once wrote. The gods we worship write their names. On our faces be sure of that. And a person will worship something. Have no doubt about that either. We may think emerson's dad. Our tribute is paid in secret. In the darkness essence of our heart but it will out. Anthony and dad which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives. And our character. Therefore who's that. To be careful. What we worship. For what we are worshipping. We are becoming. In a similar vein. A few years back a colleague of mine from saint paul minnesota. Put his sermon title up on the marquis outside of the unity church in st paul minnesota. And all the ministers in the domination have since stolen this sermon time. His title was. If being a unitarian universalist were against the law. Would there be enough evidence to convict you. If being a unitarian universalist were against the law. Would there be enough evidence. Chicken dick. My colleagues point was simply. The being a unitarian universalist. Obliges you to live in certain obvious. Pickaway. It obliges you to visibly moved through your world. Guided bible 7 principal. It requires you to bring your behavior. In line with your beliefs. Your behavior and your beliefs should have congruence. Congruence and consistency. There should be. Congruence. Between what you say you believe. What you espouse with your lips. And how you use your hands. And your hearts. And your. Words. Earlier this week i happen to go to the new chinese restaurant. Is it mandarin. By the way. I went there. And i got a perfect unitarian-universalist fortune. I swear to god this was in my cookie. It read. I'll just want to show this is the actual one it says. A person of words and not deeds is like a garden. Full of weed amen. A person of words and not deeds is like a garden. Full of weeds. Perfect. Another way of saying this there's no such thing as a stealth. Unitarian universalist flying beneath the radar of everyone. If being a unitarian universalist were against the law would there be enough evidence. Took a dick to you there is no such thing. Stella. You you. H let me put this a little differently. Our religion is not an intellectual exercise. It's not simply believing the right thing. It is a lifestyle. It is a life. Style religion. That should be reflected. Day in and day out. In the life you shared with others. If you are a serious member of this church. If you are truly practicing your face your beliefs. Your values. Should be profoundly. Apparent. To those whose lives commingled and intersect with urine. Let me see it one more way. There's no such thing if you're you you of being in the closet. You got to come out. You got to come out. And live your face. For all to see. So that takes care of the first half of what it means to be a uu. Building interior architecture of purpose. And compassion. Is sturdy and reliable infrastructure that serves you in your daily life. But then there's the second equally important sphere of our faith. I'll being an architect of the heart and that is. That we must build a societal. Architecture. Of justice. Equity and compassion for all. But we need to be a part of building a societal architecture of justice. Equity and compassion. We're all and some of you may not know. The from the earliest days of america of our republic. Many of the greatest advocates. Of social justice and social reform. Were unitarians or universal. First there was. Theodore parker. Will you see on your left. And william ellery channing on the right. They fought. To end slavery. In america parker carried a gun. Every sunday in his fault that he had freed slaves in his church in boston. Any dare denny slave-catcher. And get them. He didn't have to. Then there was dorothea dix. And benjamin rush. Who led the way in american penal reform. And the reform of mental health care. There was horace mann. Who you see obviously on your left. Who fought for free universal education which today is threatened in case you don't know it. Elizabeth peabody. Who founded the first kindergarten. Doesn't she look like a ball of fun. I'm sure she was a love. Joseph tuckerman. And margaret fuller. Help to create modern social welfare protections for the poor and for workers. Samuel ridley how who you see on the left. Another right that's dashing man henry bird. Who fought for those who cannot defend themselves gridley how. Pioneered work for the care of the blind. And henry bird on the right. Founded both the society for the prevention of cruelty to animals. And a similar organization to protect children. From labor. And domestic abuse. And then there was clara barton. Will you see on the left. Who founded the american red cross and julia ward howe on the right. Who founded the first mother's day which was a mother's day for peace not a sentimental thing about sending. Cookies to your mother but actually about world peace. And finally susan b anthony on your right on your left i'm sorry. And elizabeth cady stanton. Who fought. Or equal rights. For women. This is a great legacy and just a part of it. A social concern and social justice. Which still animates our movement unitarian and universalist they're fighting. All over the place. For greater social justice and another ways to i. Took this picture off the web this is massachusetts uu tim berners-lee who invented the world wide web all by himself. A great guy. And we're still at it. Talk about a web of connection talk about the interdependent webaholics. This. The greatest. Legacy of our heritage. We look outward from these walls and do what we can here in vero beach and all over the country. To build a weider. Human architecture. Of compassion. Injustice. We do this locally as. As jack allred. Sad. By giving our plate collection away each and every sunday. The worthy organizations here on the treasure coast and through our. Social justice film series. Which raises issues here in vero beach about. Human exploitation. We also engage in many other social justice project during the year here. At our congregation. With other people of good faith in our community and there are of course many. Gathered. What houses of worship. All over our town. And told your friends whether you are a guest. With us this morning. Pull up till now has known almost nothing about unitarian universalism. Or whether you are a third-generation unitarian-universalist like me. Who has had this faith tradition virtually hardwired. Into your heart. This isn't a nutshell what it means to be a part of this phase. Being a unitarian universalist. Me and you devote a lifetime. To the purposeful and compassionate structure. Of both self and society. In accordance with our 7. Humanity. Affirming. Principal. This troubled world of ours. Desperately needs congregation. Of concern men and women. Devoting themselves to the building. The finer individual self. And the more just. And humane society. Here at this fellowship in vero beach. We are humbly. And at the same time about this business of building. Both better selves. Annabelle versus. It is humbling. Because none of us has. And no congregation. It is a humbling prayer. Which we are about. Please no. That each and everyone of you. Is ralph. If you are so moved to join with us. This great journey. Toward that. Is just. And that which is loving. For that is what. W2 terry. Am i saying mean on this phone.

uufvb_org

2010Jul11sermon32.mp3

uufvb_org

2012Apr08Sermon32.mp3

I want to introduce you to an amazing orphan of mine. I want you to see it. Been up there in the pulpit.. Not sure a lot of you saw that. Beautiful delicate. Purple. And white blossom on this. I think rather stately or. I say amazing orphan. Because this plant really should not even be here this morning. It's a spectacular example i think of the beautiful and delicate orchids that are so common. To this part of florida before i moved here i never kept an orchid. In my home. But now we always have one. This particular plant has been adorning my front our front hall table greeting both stranger and friend. As they enter my condo on ocean drive. But prior to my placing it in this place of distinction in my home this poor plant went through i have to be honest and tell you a cruel. And unkind. of abandonment. Neglect. Antabuse. A. of abandonment. Neglect and abuse that i am responsible for. I want to tell you. The true get tumultuous and traumatic life story of this amazing orphan orcutt of mine. Just as beautiful and robust as it is now more than a year ago i think it was sometime late in the fall of 2010. Counts i purchase that handsome plant. Down at the regular saturday morning vero beach farmers market. They're a couple of orchid vendors. And we brought her home. About almost a year-and-a-half ago to adorn our from home. It looked great. For about. Three months. Before is the way with all domesticated orchids its blossoms one-by-one dropped off leaving an unsightly bear stalk you've all seen them. Apparently ending its life as a decorative plant so collins and i being. New the way of florida horticulture put this and thinking this. Plant was undoubtedly complete garner. But it still had some green on it so we ignominiously retired it to neglect in the dark corner of our balcony. And went down to the saturday market a few days later and purchase a replacement plant without much. Kara sympathy for the guy who would faded away. We bought another one a fresh beautiful orchid to who all of our affection and interest were transferred. And as the months passed yet another orchid after it lost all its blossoms and we forgot all about this poor soul language. Totally without care or attention. In the dark and inhospitable corner of our fourth floor balcony a very windy spot. And they're languished. Without much sun. Without any watering. Except for the occasional florida downpour that managed to get over the wall. And frankly without any care or consideration on any form. On my part. It is worth more than a little more than a little horticultural guilt that i tell you this poor plant was left completely to its own devices. For more than a year. Dude i'm too dry months and wet ones. Through that winter's record cold with killed many of the plants on our balcony and many on the treasure coast. And the following summers. Last summer sweltering heat. And then went through last autumn's record wind and rounding rain over the. Columbus day weekend which ravaged and killed nearly all the plants on our balcony except the couple we got in before we realized it was basically a hurricane. This tough little guy. Indoor. And that inhospitable and unpredictable balcony corner for more than a year on early and absolutely neglected by his parents. Collins and me. Who figured we just eventually throw it out in the weekly trash we got around to really cleaning up our balcony. But that of course as you can all see is not. What. Happened. It didn't happen. Because obviously something deep. And primordial. A mysterious and brave within that orchid. New. New how to survive against all the odds it wanted. To survive and grow. Despite all the indifference and neglect the hard knocks of the universe this plant. Which neither while council i did not notice it's quiet resurrection. Found its way back to full orchestra. And one day a couple of months back collins in a mild state. Of excitement in incredulity. Came off the balcony caring this resilient little guy saying looks. How come back to life. Look at these beautiful white and purple blossoms. And so without. Much guilt. For being neglectful caretakers we had been. We put it back in the front hall and a rather beautiful little vase. And even enjoying. It's delicate beauty and serene elegance everyday for the last couple. And truth be told we have another. Resilient and tenacious orchid. I was treated the same way and it came back to and it's now in the living room. And. Despite. All of our lack of purposeful care and kindness. There's something within that plan that knew how to. Since this wonderous resurrection has occurred i've learned. As i suspect some of you season floridians already understand. That's such a tenacious return the life for orchids is not uncommon. After they lose their beautiful blossoms after a few months. It is as one florida horticultural us right. Orchids quote. Thrive on neglect. It's a good thing because that's all they got for me. Inspite of our personal household ignorance about the life cycles of orchids. This orchid did what orchids naturally do and do best. Without human care. Which is simply after many months in the wilderness. Zaino. They bravely and miraculously know how to come back from near death. To beauty and houston. They refuse. Refuse. To give up. On life. This morning dear friends. As you are all aware. Is easter sunday. The day for which many of our christian neighbors is perhaps the most important day and their spiritual year. The day when they celebrate the promise. Resurrection. Into eternal life. To jesus christ. But for unitarian universalist since about 1830. For religious liberals we've always had significant theological trouble. With that particular message. The day. For us shall we say is a bit more spiritually complex than for our chris. Friends. What about my colleagues in the union ministry once shared his befuddle meant that despite the fact that we've. Most of us have moved past the traditional christian understanding of easter hundreds of years ago. Are churches are generally full overflowing with well-dressed people on easter sunday morning. There we are all dressed up. Now you laugh. But it's undeniably true the four most of us religious lovers we choose not to go. To the traditional christian place with that eternal promise. Eternal life. We respect the faith of our christian neighbors but we can't quite most of us make that spiritual leap. Which i believe in a personal resurrection and eternal life requires. But that does not mean. Dear friend. Please hear this loud and clear that does not mean that we have nowhere spiritually to go. I'm in sprite. And hopeful spray morning. I am here this easter sunday. This one day of the year when the whole world seems to focus on hope. And resurrection. Tell you the truth. What is true for orchids. Is true for us. Poor people. We like the orchids have something deep and primordial and brave and resilient within us something deep and brave and primordial and resilient that knows how to grow that knows how to bounce back. From adversity. How to choose life and choose it abundantly. I want to tell you about a remarkable person. Who once came into my life. Unexpectedly. But i will never forget. I will never forget him as long as i have being umbra. His name was joe russo. And i met him. I was shocked this week when i did the math. 40. Ears. I was a newly minted hospital chaplain serving in memphis tennessee. During my seminary years i spent a full year. As a hospital chaplain. I chose the roughest environment. Think i could the city of memphis hospital. It was a really. Ross. Place. For 9 months i was resident chaplain at the west. Tennessee. Chest disease hospital. An old dark rundown 9-story 1910 tuberculosis. Tuberculosis hospital in downtown memphis. It's gone now but it by then it had been converted. To a hospital specializing in care for those dying of horrible disease. Of the lung. Cancer. Emphysema black lung disease. Near the mining district. Copd. Asbestos. It was not. As you might imagine. A very cheerful. Helpful place. Except that is for one room. An ordinary patients. Joe. Russo's. On the fourth floor. I can still see it. Near the northeast corner. Of the building. I can see every aspect of it in my mind's eye. Ordinary small patient room. With one tiny unclear window. Which. By the sheer soulforce of joe and his large extended family became the large. Spiritual and emotional center. Evette entire house. That room was a place of remarkable light. Remarkable affirmation inhumanity a place of indefatigable agency. It was the heartbeat of the whole. I want to tell you about joe. Before he came to the hospital he joe who was a big. Strapping. Guy in his mid-20s. You know you can't make this stuff up. He pushed garbage. For a living. Literally. He was a bulldozer operator at the city of memphis dump. Happy. He reported to me. With a simple straightforward bachelor's life. As a bulldozer operator at the dump. Until one morning he suddenly and mysteriously collapsed in his shower and he would never. Stand. Again. Norwalk. Against all odds joey been paralyzed by a rare. Aggressive neurological disorder that almost. No one had heard of it took some. Weeks figure out what he he. And when i met him he lived. Has he had for months. Hook to a mechanical respirator. Old and noisy. That respirator. He's it wasn't as bad seven-days-a-week of course fifty-two weeks a year. In that little fourth floor. Corner room of the hospital was of course no hope. For physical recovery no hope he would ever walk or breathe. Or even go home again on his own. It was hopeless. Tragic. As a medical situation i've ever encountered. But that little room on the fourth floor forever confined until infection got the better of him. Was nonetheless always filled that room always feel. With humanity and purpose and hope. It was filled with humanity because joe facing just about the worst face. Any young man could imagine. Refuse. To surrender. His presence. His purpose. He refused does the theologian say to submit his agency. Is free will. He did not submit his agency. To the terrible circumstance. In which he was. He chose instead life. And engagement. And relationship. In the face of death. That way. Closing slowly in around him. He decided. In the face of an illness that no one would have blamed him for giving up. Into despair and anger. Chose. To remain a fully engaged and loving human being in clothes. Caring relationship. Dennis family. And within. The hospital. Yes he was utterly unable to move any. Part. Spotty even to command his lungs. Up and down. He was trapped. It is on dying body. But he was more than capable. I'm staying alive. He was more than capable of remaining fully. And finally. Human. He lived a robust full life. Truth. David world of his own. The last. King he could move. He lived. Full life. Eyes. The act. Interests of his mind. And the endlessly generous. Expressions. Let me say this another way. Joe with his world involuntarily reduced to a bed. Four walls. Was in no way disabled. As a human being. He was the mayor of that. He was the mayor of the whole hospital the politician the prankster the priest. Who knew and cared about everything. Everybody and every day he let everybody. Who came into that room know that he cared about them and their problems. I can't tell you the number of times during the nine months i was. Kaplan. Joe the paralyzed dying patient. Lying flat on his back hooked. Awful recipe. When i came in the door. Acquire after me house that tennis in. How's your sinuses. How are you doing. When i was there. Inquire. I saw joe almost everyday sometimes several times a day. For those nine months. And i will not try to tell you. That. Things were always blessing. And light in that room. They work. Italian catholic family around the clock most especially his mother and brothers. Always want to. They're always. Had their own down difficult days to be sure. But day in and day out weekend and week out. Month in and month out that little flutter drum filled is it was with bright cards and flowers and these weird stuffed animals. Was the place to go. In the west tennessee chest disease hospital if you wanted to hear. The latest. Very raunchy joke. Debate the nation's politics. Bemoan the state of network television. Listen to mozart. Share a poem or a prayer. Or a belly laugh with joe that could be heard all the way down those sterile hallways when he laughed. The clothes off. Respirator they kind of giggle. Like that. All we could do. That tiny room. Unfortunately our with q. Inhumanity of hope. The humanity in hope. Which joe and his family knew how to create the hope. Humanity they chose to create. In the face. Death. And the gation itself. The humanity and hope that can only happen when brave. Tenacious human beings. Refuse to surrender their agency. Refuse to surrender. Their personhood. Fuse. Just surrender. Everytime i think of joe the famous words of viktor frankl the holocaust survivor come to mine. After surviving more than two terrible years and the death camp frankl. Who later became a psychology. Wrote this. Based on his. Everything. But one thing. The last. The freedom to choose one's own attitude in any given set of circumstances. The freedom to choose one's own way. This to me. It's a blessed. During message. Avista. Regardless of. Regardless of how difficult life. Can become an a. Regardless of how capricious or cruel are creation. Can be, that also. We are always free to choose life. And love. And purpose. Over despair. And death. And the gation. That is what this orchid. In the face of the indignities. It knew how to grow. Toward the light it shows. To grow right where it was planted. In that. Dark balcony. By sheer force of will and resurrected itself up from certain death. To bloom and bless. As it was. Something deep. And primordial and resilient and brave within this orchid called. And so it was with my friend joe. Against. All well against all logic. He was suddenly planted. In a situation and a faith. Terrible. Beyond all imagining but he knew still how to be finally human. You chose to live. A rich. And meaningful. An expansive life. That tiny room. Surely you've all heard the saying. Bloom. Where you are planted. That is the holy message. Sings out of creation to us at. My message to you this morning. To be fully and finally human. Just where you live. With all of your life's limitations and losses. And sorrow. Be a passionate and purposeful human being as long as you have. Life and breath and refuse to fold your tent in the face of adversity. At the city dump. Or someone. Leaving an ordinary complicated life. Here. Treasure coast. Bloom. Right where your plan. Right where your play. In the hebrew torah. In the book of deuteronomy to be precise. Moses spelling out god's law. To the people. And at the end of his long address. He simply says this for god. I have set before you today life. And prosperity. Adversity. I set before you life and death blessings and curses. Therefore choose life. That you and your descendants may live. This is the crying. Comes out to us. Choose life. Choose. Life.

uufvb_org

2014Sep28Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. And welcome to what i hope will be a truck. Today. Here on the treasure coast. rain would you please raise your hand. Alright that maybe god will listen to us or whoever's in charge of such things and we won't have rain today. Welcome to a soggy treasure coast. This is the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach and we're so pleased you've chosen. To begin your sunday with us. We are retiring gation open minds loving hearts and helping hands people seeking to become our best selves. Even this together we work. To build a better world. And please know you are welcome just as you come to us with all your quirks and uniqueness has. Whether you are young or old gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity whether you have a ged or a phd. Whether you've been coming here for decades or brand new to us this morning. Whether you are feeling on top of the world or down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We're glad you're with us this morning. We hope you'll find our service. Meaningful and enriching and that you will find something here this morning. The feeds your soul and nourishes your spirit and gives you a new joy and purpose. For the living of life in the days ahead. Are opening words this morning come from when the great universalist ministers of the 20th century. The reverend dr. gordon mckeeman who wrote. We summon ourselves the sour from the demands and the delights of the daily round from the dirty dishes and on a wax floors from the unmowed grass and the untrimmed bushes. From all uncomplete anise and not yet started this. From the unholy and the unresolved. We submit ourselves sour to attend. To our vision. Of peace and justice of clements and hell. Ovulate. And devotion. Of the lovely and the holy. Of who we are. And what we can do. We summon the power of tradition. And the exhilaration of newness. The wisdom of the ages. And the knowing of the very young. Summon beauty eloquence poetry. Music. And to be the bearers of our dreams we would open our eyes or ears our minds and our hearts to the m plus dimensions of life it is good to be together. In this place of holiness. And hell. So jim for your four and a half years ago you were kind of a typical guy getting heavier and not exercising much. And you decided apparently at some point here to make a project of your physical health and i just want to ask you about that. Well it wasn't like a. Overnight saying it was something that took some time and. I joined the local gym as some of you know from my shameless. Facebook posts. Planet fitness. I did some. Looking back i joined the planet fitness in february of 2012. It didn't start going until that august. So i am the king of procrastination. But even with that you know what. Yeah that's how i looked. Mike and i went to puerto rico that was in a rainforest. And i remember walking through the rainforest and it was up and down. I was just out of breath and mike took that picture. Before what i thought i was going to die. And it turns out to be kind of like a before picture cuz soon after that i i started getting serious with my program. You're always inspired by my father who passed away and. Going on there could be 33 years. Wednesday. And he was. You know walking everyday as matter fact we kind of got going to diagnose cuz. He couldn't finish his. His walk every every morning he'd be walking any was in really good shape then. You know i kind of. Life was very good and still is and i just wanted more of it. But it wasn't like an overall burning bush type of event to me was. It was something i got to get going and got to get going i got you know one morning i can't remember but i just got going. And a combination of diet and exercise it was diet and exercise both diet and exercising and the other thing i'm there were other influences there was health issues. I was on high blood pressure which anymore. And you know other things cholesterol that's not something i have to medicate myself for anymore and i'm really kind of like don't want to take pills i know that they're out there. I'm open to to take medication but i really try to avoid it since you made a project of this. Well the rewards if i mean it's not just. You know. Feeling good and. Looking. That's if you looking fabulous well if you're looking. That's vanity. This there's a place in my life for that but it's feeling good inside and just spiritual singing it it's connecting with other people that are also taken. But you know it. If it's not. At the wholeness of might my life i i feel like. Everyday is a good day but i have balance to i mean. I'm involved with you know theater i have two productions now and i had this thing called work that gets in the way of that every once awhile so i have to have balance and everyone so i have to take time off of the gym. In order to have time for other things too. Awesome i'm an exercise fanatic myself i start my day i bike 16 miles to work before work hours. And often that i'll leave at 4:30 and and bike 2 hours home i mean i get at least three hours of cycling and every day until and i'm kind of a nut about this stuff but. One thing people say to me is i just i just can't find the time that what would you say to somebody who says i just don't have the time. Well i can only speak for my own personal experience i don't try to tell people what they should do but. I brought you up here to tell people but i start my day earlier in order to get the time and if i don't get it done in the morning i tend to my day gets busy and i don't have the time. Now find excuses and quite frankly my energy level is you know if i didn't have anything else to do i would work out and do my stuff in the afternoon cuz i think that my energy level is beth in. But i just don't get to it if i wait. And so i do it in the morning and i've done it i've done in the morning before the last. 3 years. And i feel like you know that's the time that i i don't get is good to work on the morning but i get to work out. And sometimes it's not about how good the workout is it's just getting through the doors. And just doing it maybe it's just a 20-minute treadmill. I said about 40 minutes in that three and a half miles an hour instead of 5 miles an hour or maybe it's just you know working on certain parts of my body and not the whole. But it's something getting through the doors. My dad was a sedentary overweight steel salesman in racine wisconsin. Get a massive coronary at age 56 bypasses. He immediately did two things he changed his diet with my mother's health. And he would he had routine. Every breakfast every morning after breakfast before work they walked three miles and every afternoon at 1:30 he swam for 45 minutes. And he lived another two decades after massive massive heart attack. And i think. The key to taking care of your body is is the word routine. It has to be part of your routine you brush your teeth you go to the bathroom and take a shower and go to bed at certain time you got to fit in that's that's my password. Just do it. Alright thank you. I'll bet you didn't know that in addition to his many obvious talents your minister is a superb mind reader. Would you like me to prove it. Although all right although bike that a single one of you has said this to me this morning i am certain that more than a few of you are thinking. Right now something that runs along these lines. Why in the world are they perfectly gentle and relax sunday morning that i bother to get out of my comfortable bed. Take a shower get dressed prepare my breakfast and drive to church. Only to hear my exercise obsessed. Weight conscious physical fitness nut of a cross-country bike riding minister told me about not taking sufficient care of my body what was i thinking. Am i right spike. Okay alright. So let me at the outset try to put you at least a little bit eddie's this morning. On this sunday when i'm going to talk about the obvious and important connection between taking. As much care as you can of your physical health. And achieving personal happiness and well-being. Scolding or making you feel shameful or guilty is not what i have in mind. This morning i'll be giving the last installment of my year-long sermon series about the seven habits of happy people. Identified by a team directed by doctor paul the saint yale. Harvard-educated psychiatrist. Relying heavily on the groundbreaking work of positive. Psychologist pioneer dr martens eagleman. This team suggested. Identified. Zathura 7. Fundamental dimensions to our individual lies which. If properly nourished and cultivated will lead to a greater sense of happiness. And well-being throughout our lives and i've asked if those be projected there they are these are the things. The over the long-term of our lives. Lead to well-being. Now before i move on and talk this morning about health and fitness. The all-important habit of cultivating fitness & wellness in your life. I want to talk briefly about the overview of what they of what the psychologist found. About well-being and happiness. When positive psychologist talk about happiness they do not mean what i should call. The happy face theory of happiness. Which focuses on when we are in an exceptionally cheerful or buoyant mood. Those times when full of laughter and everything goes right that's not what they're talkin about these sort of peak moments of merriment. Happiness in this view requires a steady stream of moments of gleeful and giddy delight. The lights up mr. smiley face here. But the experts that are writing about sustained happiness. And well-being suggest that. If these are the flashy places you were looking for contentment and joy. You were looking for love in all the wrong places as the old song goes. Happiness the kind of sustainable well-being and long-term life satisfaction. The has the power to make our lives glow with contentment. Is not like the hot rush of momentary pleasure you feel. If you win the lottery. Or skydive out of a plane at 10,000 feet like. Claudio jimenez did recently. Or even watch your home team win a national championship. The kind of happiness and well-being has the power to really make our lives. Works of sustainable joy and warmth. It's like the low hum. Of a study satisfaction. The quietly arises out of these ordinary and yet terribly important aspects of our daily living it arises out of relationship. Another caring and service and positive mindset being grateful and optimistic. Getting into the flow of your life. Spiritual engagement strengths and virtues and today's. Topic. Health and fitness. Again what the positive psychologists are saying in this makes perfect sense to me. Is that sustainable happiness and well-being. Is a quiet and honest intentions quality. The fields gently into our lives. As the long-term result. Of wisely and purposely tending. So these things that really matter it's not a flash-in-the-pan kind of thing. So all this then brings me finally to today's important. And yet sometimes uncomfortable and guilt inducing topic. The real tangible benefits of regularly paying. Purposeful attention. As jim daly does. To your own physical health and wellness. I'm sure that everyone of you in this room this morning knows or at least suspect. That taking care of your own body as best you can. Regardless of age and physical condition. Contributes greatly to our happiness and our well-being. As the authors of this study on happiness report quote. In conclusion. There's a great deal of evidence that getting adequate exercise. Proper diet. And sufficient sleep. Are associated with improved mental well-being. And a lesser incidence of depressive symptoms unquote. This all of course makes logical sense. And we've heard over and over again from health experts. About the importance of this triune exercise. Diet and sleep. How many times have you nodded your head in agreement when someone quotes american writer augusten burroughs who wants wisely road. When you have your health. You have everything. And when you do not have your health. Nothing else. Obviously without good physical health happiness can be a very elusive thing. But one very curious and important open question of the study of the happiness expert. They admit they don't know. Weather taking purposeful care of your own body. Leads to happiness or whether people are already predisposed to happiness are more likely to be the exercisers and we properly they don't know which is the chicken and which is the egg. The positive psychologists are sure that physical and emotional wellness. Are positively correlated with one another. But they don't know which comes first to happy people exercise naturally. Or are exercisers made happy. By exercising and watching their die. This uncertainty may be bad news for chronically unhappy people. Because the possibility exists that the reason unhappy people have for physical health. Is it because they're by nature not likely to take care of their bodies. But this curiosity aside. We do not know as countless studies confirm beyond any reasonable doubt. We do know we do know. The people exercise regularly eat wisely. Get sufficient sleep are significantly more likely. To experience happiness and contentment in their living it doesn't necessarily mean they'll live any longer. But they'll be happier. So if you want to be happier and more content in your life it behooves you. To exercise frequently. Eat right and get plenty of sleep. It really appears. To be just that simple. But let me move on to acknowledge another very obvious and important truth about happiness and hell. No matter how purposeful or discipline we are about our personal wellness habits. None of us in the end. Is immune from the stress and unhappiness that can come. From illness. Disease disability and of course. Knowing that we are dying. I'm sure most of you have known conscientious people. Who exercise regularly a trike got plenty of sleep. But who nonetheless at some point in their life. Became tragically. Sick or disabled or died. Before they were supposed to. A bit of a health nut myself i always chuckle to myself when i see the popular and sarcastic bumper sticker that reads eat right exercise and die anyway. There is well there is truth to that. So i suspect people have it on their car are not regular exercises don't get enough sleep and don't eat right but that's another subject for another day. What makes the bumper sticker funny is the unavoidable truth. Scrupulously taking care of your body. Does not exempt you. From the vicissitudes of nature. Mystically it makes you more likely to be healthy but it doesn't make you immune. From these disaster. What happened to. Pink faithful attention to your physical well-being in no way guarantees either happiness or longevity we know this. But that difficult fact acknowledged it must immediately be set again. Regularly doing everything you can to take care of your body and your personal hell. Is essential if you're going to maximize whatever contentment and happiness. Is to be yours. And one more important curiosity about happiness and health if i might. One study i read in preparing the sermon. Pointed out that being seriously ill or significantly disabled. Or even close to death does not necessarily mean. You will be unhappy. Over the course of my long ministry i have known more than a few amazing people. Who are unfortunate enough to be struggling with a terrible illness or disability and yet who are none the less pretty darn happy. And satisfied with their lives have any river known anyone like this who has gone through a terrible thing but they're still well they're they're happy and there they have well-being. Even. That's a deal with stephen. So clearly having your body and some sort of some significant way fail you. Does not mean you were doomed to depression and unhappiness. I see people all the time in my work. Who i guess by sheer force. A willing spirit are able to surmount physical difficulty. And maintain a genuine contentment and satisfaction with their lies i've told you the story before when i was in washington i would bike. Every morning to work and i always pass this guy. Pedaling with his hands in the special made bike he was completely paralyzed below the waist but he had the special bike and had bugs on his teeth he was so happy. To be able to get out of the exercise he worked around his disability. To be a happy. Guy. So what i'm affirming here this morning is you don't have to have a perfect body. Or perfect. Help to be happy and that's very important to remember. But with all these caveats and curiosities acknowledge. There is still no avoiding the fact that most of us will do ourselves a big physical. And emotional and spiritual. Favor. By exercising regularly eating right and getting enough sleep not to mention brushing. If you want to live the fullest and best life possible. There's really no excuse for neglecting the very real health needs of your body. When it comes to doing to tending to your health of your body. The nike slogan which gym quoted says it all just. Do it. And topping the list of self-care habits that americans are too likely to neglect in their lives is. You guessed it. You knew i'd get to it eventually. Of all the things. Exercise. Is thing. That we do.. I know most of you like most smart americans are working at eating better. I'm getting enough sleep is not a challenge. For most of us. But the truth is that a significant number of us in this congregation. And you know who you are. Are not getting the exercise. To keep our bodies fit and our spirit i. The hang in there with me for a few minutes more for one about to say about exercise. Is not a skull it is just a friendly reminder. The federal government used to say. That moderate exercise. Three or four times a week. For just 20 minutes. That comes to a little more than an hour's exercise a week the federal government used to say. That was enough to maintain good physical health. But lately all the experts on our bodies and bodily health. Up the exercise antillana they now say the minimum. You should exercise 150 minutes. That's some two-and-a-half hours of vigorous or moderate aerobic activity. Spread out over a week. And a lot of the experts are now saying you really need to devote one hour every day 7 days a week. To this body of yours it needs a run for its money. Everyday. In addition. They recommend strength training and if you don't know what strength training is going to go online and take a look at it strengthens what you do when you do a few. Push back exercises with a machine or against the wall. It forces the muscles to grow it. Depends all the actor thing that's happening. Very little strength training 10 to 15 minutes at a gym every day is enough. To undo the vicissitudes of aging strength training. Is very important because. It counteracts skeletal muscular atrophy the loss of muscle mass. Edit it a stimulates strength-training does the growth mechanism within the bones and the muscles. Here is how the mayo clinic. Describe the new exercise. And fitness standards. Moderate aerobic exercise includes such activity as brisk walking. Biking. Swimming. Swimming ellen. And mowing the lawn. Vigorous aerobic exercise include such activities as running. Or aerobic dancing. Strength training mayo clinic says. Can include the use of weight machines or activities such as a rock climbing rock climbing. Or heavy gardening. As a general goal mail goes on aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity everyday. And if you want to lose weight or mute meet specific fitness goals. You may need to exercise more. You can achieve more health benefits including. Weight loss if you ramp up your exercise. To 300 minutes a week in other words 45 minutes a day. Now you all know about the widely-reported obesity epidemic that we are experiencing in these united states. And how many americans both children and adults. Are getting heavier. And heavier every year. It also that obviously has epidemic has led to the. Reversal of longevity rates with americans are now starting to die or earlier. But did you know what the nation in this absolutely flabbergasted me when i heard it this summer i was. Listening to npr. All things considered one evening in the adirondacks. Did you know. But we americans are not eating any more than we ever did. It's true. National public radio reports that the calorie intake of the average american. Has stayed exactly the same from the 80s until now. What is different. Is it in 1988 only 10% of americans reported. That they essentially did little or no physical activity in their leisure hours whereas today 50% of us. Do we are setting terry. We don't do anything. To exercise our bodies. The report went on to report that american workers who now sit in front of computer terminals all that used to be lifting up ford bumpers putting them on cars again and again are out working but today we just sit in front of our computer terminal. We are much more sedentary as a people than we used to be and that is what's causing us to get bigger and bigger. The sad truth is a precious few of us. Are getting anywhere near the amount of exercise our bodies want and need. The us public health service says it just 20% of americans. Exercise enough to get any cardiovascular benefits. With kids today and you've all seen the news about and you see obese children all over our streets here. The numbers are even worse. As new york times health writer jane brody had noted. The average american spends more time showering. Been working out. The bottom line here is as a people we americans are exercising our bodies less and less and we're getting well. Fatter and fatter. But here's the good news. No matter what your chronological age. And no matter what your physical challenges or disabilities or limitations you can find. Appropriate and beneficial exercise. To engage on a daily basis that will not only maximize the health of whatever body you have. But lift your emotions. And your contentment as well. For most of us is beneficial exercise can be accomplished in fairly simple wave. Walking every morning after breakfast through your neighborhood. Biking on the sidewalk or bike lane that runs along a1a is pretty safe. Spite of the terrible tragedy that happened last night on the on the 17th street bridge. Bike paths that the pork hollywood. Hit by drunk driver last night friday night. It could be something very simple ways swimming in a local pool dancing. At a local studio going to a neighborhood gym and doing a few repetitions. I know strength training machine. Participating in the wonderful yoga class we have here every wednesday morning at 10. Even gardening in your own backyard can be significant exercise. If you have significant physical limitations or pain issues. You will obviously want to consult your doctor about what kinds of physical activity would be beneficial aqua aerobics for example. Is excellent for people with real disability issues their aquarobic programs all over this city. Where the water holds your body and suspension if you have. Joint and muscle issues. There are many many many ways. To exercise. I've also. 18 people confined to wheelchairs or two other wheelchair to regularly workout. With passive resistance machines at the gym. And i told you about my own father who after a massive coronary just put it into his routine. My point here is that for almost all of us. If we want to exercise. There are methods and modalities that will fit our bodies. Our abilities are limitation. And even more important our preferences. I can no longer do a stationary bike for more than 5 minutes then i can. Jump off a bridge i have to be outdoors bikes. I hate those. But i found my way and my way is biking to this beautiful county. And i might as well right here address the biggest and most frequent visitors excuse gym and i've already talked about it. People just say i just don't have the time. I'm just too busy my job. Retirements busy my job's to import. What i sometimes say in response to this excuse because i know how high the stakes are. In terms of everyone's health and well-being is. I said come on my friend. What you really mean. Is you choose not to set aside sufficient. Time. The truth is we human being. Manage to find the time in our lives. For everything that is really important. What you face is not a problem of too little time. You face a problem. Of the wrong priority. I'm usually afraid channel guy but i do sometimes. Look. As i've already acknowledged this morning none of us is of course in complete control of our personal hell. And well-being. Our bodies no matter how diligently are well we care for them. Are still vulnerable to so many diseases and disabilities especially as we get older. But that said it must also be acknowledged. Each one of us has a great deal of control. Over. And responsibility for. The fitness and health of our bodies. The point i've tried to make you this morning as gently as a physical fitness nut can. Is it each of us has the free will. And the capacity to take maximum good care. Of whatever body we have. Making sure that they get regularly exercised they want a run for their money. Wholesome food. And restorative rest. By caring. For our amazing bodies. And maximizing our own personal health and fitness. We not only helped to ensure a long productive life as we can have. But a happy one as well. And i asked enclosing what could be more important. And deserving of your attention. Done that. And your bike crazy minister says to you. Amen. I leave you with this thought. We live we are elected now by time. View out of many not yet come to birth and many dead. To use the sunlight now. To stand up under the sun upon the earth then break the silence with a voice of praise open the door that opens toward the sky pressed mind and body hard hard against the world. For we live. And we are elected. Now. By time. Healthy week. I meant.

uufvb_org

2013Mar31Sermon32.mp3

Happy easter to you all you know it's raining all up and down the eastern seaboard but here in florida mother nature is doing her part what a beautiful beautiful day we have in our hands. And we are so pleased that all of you have chosen to be here with us for an hour of worship. Seeking to become our best individual cells even if we work together. For a better world. Please know that you are welcome. Whether you were younger role. Black or white. Gay or straight. Whether you are feeling the top of the world according to garp. We're delighted to see you just did you come here. We hope you'll find our easter service meaningful and enriching. I need to find something here that's just the nuggets. The nurse is your spirit and feed your soul. For the living. Birthday of flight. Human being. Unimaginable. What are the most enjoyable rituals i guess if the spiritual practice papers starting at 6:30 every morning one time. Most the time it's just you know violence in pakistan's other things. You can google it. Highland sheriff. Chicken. .. We ate a picnic table. The sun was setting on the hudson. Central music. What is the opposite. The perfect storm. Will the world end all sinus and display every possible permutation of beauty. Oliver said. Sidwell's we took apart places again heading back downstairs. Something it was always feeling but. Aj lee taking up the refrain. Their phone spontaneous raising of glasses on the rooftop of the setting sun. And then he's supposed to say you're glad to be alive that life is short. Requires a certain intimacy with loss. Only with aids or deepest.. But to know itself is absolutely. Either is or isn't. The same cannot be said about alignment. Which there are countless degrees. As the years fly by no matter how fully oxygenated the blood and brain or how steadily the heartbeats fortunately. This is a reversible condition. To memorize. Of the everyday. Summer nights on the roof 15 months how many people i have known or loved that i have lost. My mother. Free prints. A few weeks ago a friend who was like a second mother. More so for being honest and determine friends and relatives came together for memorial service with afternoon it was beautiful beautiful. Oh well. I've come to believe that a good cry is. Lakewood car wash. When i get home. When i get home oliver call. Everything's been marinating. It's really a lucky thing i have is a neighbor your best friend. We set the table. Has opened a bottle. Grilled salmon. For dessert we split an apple. We turned on the radio it was beethoven awareness month on our classical radio station playing opus 133 the greatest you originally end of one of his late quartets. I am not well versed in classical music the announcer i would have guessed was something contemporary even composed that very day. Told me was considered almost unintelligible by listeners and so demanding technically as to be nearly on. Conversation. Kaylee was fun. Henry joseph listening. To the music. Chaotic. And violent. Mysterious and gorgeous. Behind oliver. To a large picture window facing north. I have this thing where sometimes i try to catch them all the traffic lights and turn red. Their number multiplied comes with time.. The traffic light. I watched for the two of us finally i say. It's fine of fiery red milky way on the streets of manhattan in the plane. The light. Started turning green. And i pray i don't need to spend any of my airtime pointing out to you. This easter morning i'm going to begin by reminding you of the single most important spiritual truths of your life are you ready. You woke. Found yourself alive. Is the wholly unlikely this morning and found yourself alive. Here ends the morning sir. More. Thinking about the simple yet powerful new york times please that i read you just a few months ago. Read oliver following an impromptu but deliciously perfect rooftop dinner. All the neighbors sharing the rooftop spontaneously responded. 2. Everybody glad to find themselves alive and conscious in reading. New york moments of gratitude. I'm glad you're alive. How sweet saving the truth. Amazing. In the first place. I like the way my friend and colleague the reverend doctor forest church articulated. It is wonderful and yet also sad book love and death. The valley of the shadow. What heroes. In the last year of his life. Prove to be terminal suffield kansas. Get the work of religion. Visual spiritual life arises from and now i told him. The twins knowledge. We are alive. Within this test of life. Edit between us within distention of life and death. Liza's holy cloud. Connectedness. How we are moving out of each other. Epicenter of forest. . bless his heart. Spiritual book. From the fact that we human beings find ourselves. Alive in the first place. I want to call him now and some legs with famous service about this i think it's wonderful stuff. Forest. This morning are still things that cannot be computed. Parting the red sea for moses to escape. Self in which living organism. America on our planet. Ideal conditions for life to be nurtured and developed a runner. Amazing miracle of there being life on this planet at all. Consider this morning. Couple. At precisely the right moment. Possible sperm to fertilize inception. This remarkable just remarkable pyramid. To where our ancient ancestors the founding people. Miracle. American family story. Direct relatives be right. Twenty-four-year-old john howland and sunbury service. Halfway across the atlantic. His fellow pilgrims threw overboard in arizona. Flower with establishing my mother's america. Elizabeth warren. These accidents of survival nothing compared to the almost incident odds against our winning billions of crap shoes in the sperm. Arlisa was easier to grab an extra essentially more meaningful to puzzle and then reflect this. Julio like in miracle will be already. Simple inevitability. Where am i. Think about it. The dangerous universe was pregnant with. Irrelevant. Even as reverend church lay dying from his terrible cancer. He was able to fully confirm the human blessing. Abusing merely being alive. He was down to little more than skin and bones. Fully carry with him that warm and radiant smile of his his family was around anubis at the general assembly in fort lauderdale to hours and stuff. He seemed sick as he was. Still have a chance to hang around. Everyday we live is a miracle. Responsibility even when right off camera is about. Does a miracle. We must each do everything in our human power to awaken. To become mindful. Awakening is like returning after a long journey and seeing the world for the first time. Cherished possessions. And the tasks that are ours to perform seeing these things. Reaching out for the top of a loved one with him. Shared laughter a letter to a lost friend. Abstract the power of silence alone with our father. Only the pulse of life for this fleeting moment our life becomes. Sacramento. This is gentle. Bright. Perfect easter morning. Pyramid east coast of florida. I hope that you are all spiritually inclined to take dr churches. Heartfelt appreciation of the life of the everyday miracles finding ourselves. Here in the first place. During his life which ended prematurely. He felt so existentially lucky. Just to be able to hang around this creaky old creation. And he also believes that his love. For both the lights to change for the person who shared it. He believed all of our love. Is it. I will live on. In the energy of creation and continue to bless and enrich the world for countless generations those countless generations. Fiercely personal lyrical way which expresses gratitude for this miracle. .. There's pogo as that is one of the characters i know i told the story was before from this moment but it is my all-time favorite stripper photo. The turtle character. Okeechobee. Reading a newspaper. I'm sorry. In three billion years. Natalie merchant. Spiritual message. Sophisticated forest dr forest. Play into the perry's denver public schools. Woke up this morning. Another world. Everything else including the fact that someday you must die. Uninterested. This information. Easter. Sunday. What's a wholly unlikely miracles. Finding yourself alive has freezer for. To live fully to livwell. What do spiritually. Of the reality. Powerful an unavoidable reality. A tragedy. This too is something which. Doctor church fully understood. Why is difficult. Grab. Unpredictable. Unlimited. Everyone's. Summary of the birthright farm or inalienable that happens. Need to find evidence to prove innocence especially children. Say to suffer people deserve a share of affliction. Injustice is distributed proportionally life is anything but fair. Don't try to make sensitive. This is fine arguments that the conjuring. Emerges in the lifeline. Which connector. Suffering brings us together. A a lifeline. The connect our hearts. We are. This to me the greatest and most liberating truths about human living. Images not. Along the way of our individual journeys. You will all another lyrics. our pleasure. I'm suffering and sorrow life is. Totally unfair. Sometimes. These are screw is that we are all in this together. Sharing. We are interconnected. So many beautiful and saving waves ways and give our lives. Their purpose for texture. Sarah grace. I want to close this easter sunday by telling you a very personal story. Story of my life. It will always remain tender. In my heart and spiritually remind me. But this journey we find ourselves on is all about. Gay male world. Ferocity. 20 taking so many of my friends and acquaintances dear god how i still remember. All of those losses from my license and superba new jersey. Is it a problem. Very early in the hiv aids epidemic of drugs. Successfully used native treat this disease. The reverend mark moser to wolf. When's our minister mississauga ontario. Seriously ill. The mark was an indefatigable spirit kind and intelligent young man with an irrepressible appetite for life and purses. The last time i saw him. Was it the 1988 general assembly in palm springs california. He was very thin. He wasn't very sick. And then the fact he was 4 months later. Before that assembly he was moving around event to event wearing a t-shirt. Simple white t-shirts not unlike. No wonder these letters. North dakota news. So why don't you wearing. Personally known somebody. Somebody. Unintentionally. Results were already sunoco on the activist with a dry sense of humor moved around the assembly district. And whatever color you would ask him. He wasn't. Mark ever grateful for the gift of life was not. He was not done sharing the pleasures and challenges of everyday life. He was not part of the planet he was not done being a human being. Police carrying exciting and sharing and loving you live. Face. Freedom to choose. Islamic unity to live. And you love. Mark was not going to wait. Finding itself as forest church so beautifully articulated fighting himself alive. And interconnected a universe. Persons. Even in great physical diminishment and pain. 11 everyday. Spell palate. Into the universe. Morning. Ratings. Spiritual. Simple spring day. Particular beautiful park. Amazing creation. The stain has been quietly born for you. Possibility. Blender. You are not. Difficulty. Challenges. God knows all. No matter what challenges our heartaches you face. Kmart. Purpose. Hello. You are here. Wholly unlikely miracle of your life. You will dear friend. Telling time today. Sun bowl today. Drunk to the knees of your old car. Everything. Hallelujah.

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2011Dec18Sermon32.mp3

Because we have our young folks with us this morning. We just have four stories. And the first is from my life the parsons christmas tree. Some of my ministry almost 40 years ago. The parsons christmas tree. It was the middle of the afternoon one day in early december 1975. As a minister of the first church of houlton maine. Where i began my career right out of seminary that's the building. My office was right there on the far. Right front i had lovely clear glass windows there. I was diligently working away at my desk at that cozy little church. When i heard someone open the front door noisily and stomp his feet. Into my office barge fred donald president of the congregation retired president of the leading bank in town. Any declared in a booming cheerful scottish voice. Really asking me if it was convenient to my schedule. He just simply laid out our plan. In an hour's time. Fred and his buddy henry white. Treasurer of the church retired railroad worker and a widower like fred would pick me up at home. Way down and the beast tremont very rustic cabin. And we pick out a christmas tree from the. Hundreds of acres he owned down there. For my living room before dark. And have a big. Bachelor dinner. Cooked on the coast on a cook stove. I raced home to change into my heavy winter clothing it was actually ready. About a half an hour of driving down icy backroads. We were way down in the maine woods. We park the truck. On the edge of the plowed road. Strapped on our snowshoes loaded up our backpacks with the food and max. And began tracking together again in more than a foot of snow. Down the lawn logging road that winds its way down to his camp on the be stream. And he stuck his hand out he said. And out of nowhere about half-a-dozen chickadees came. And landed on his hand on his various fingers. I have never seen birds in the wild. Trust. Someone like. Before i had never seen that. After we. After we arrived at the camp we put that our packs we got a roaring fire going inside the cookstove. Snowshoes to find the parsons tree. We quickly settled on a rather how shall i call this sparse for tree. Trees in the middle of may. Christmas lot variety christmas eve this is the kind of tree that you have out in the woods. We chopped a tree look pretty much as pathetic is that one. We hauled it back to the truck at our snowshoes in the gathering darkness actually. We snow should our way back to the camp. To prepare and enjoy our dinner. A stake of course. Potatoes baked. And i guess you'd call a salad and. Single malt scotch actually. Was required by fred. The best part of the evening of course was the conversation we had there was no electricity. Kerosene lamp light. And that's it you can hear the crackling fire. The stories that fred and henry always told me you need to know that. Over the four years i knew these two wonderful older men they were in their late seventies and i was 24. Actually the same dozen humorous stories. To each other and me every time we got together like this. The amazing thing was with the same. I came to wonder over these years i've knew these two wonderful kind old man. If it wouldn't have been more efficient just to say let's tell number for and then i'll ask. But they didn't they always win. Stories. Our afternoon evening deep in the maine woods was magical. I felt warm and safe in the embrace of these two sweet old man. And i truly enjoy their companionship they're both. Long gone now of course. And the next day my christmas tree. It went up in my living room. And that christmas i cherished it. Primarily because. Where i knew it came from. It came from their love and care for me. The person's christmas tree reminds me each and every time christmas rolls around. The best of most enduring presence. For each and everyone of us are those simple. Heartfelt. And always monetarily insignificant gifts generously given. By those we love and care for. Emil shared. A story told. A carol. Sun. And it's redecorate. If you need anything more than that. This december. You're missing it all. I don't have stories of chopping down trees or snow show me snowshoeing across. No. Because when i think of the holiday season. I think about some of the traditions that i grew up with as many of you do. And these are traditions that we may or may not continue to observe depending on where our religious and spiritual journey has taken. I was born in colombia a country where the majority embrace catholic traditions. Catholicism after all is the state religion. As children. We believed it was the nino dios the infant jesus who brought us gifts on christmas eve. Colombian catholics don't just go to midnight mass. They prepare for nine days following a colombian tradition that dates to the 1700s. Starting on december 16th. Appearance recites a novena or advent prayers that relate the events that occurred during the 9-month pregnancy of the virgin mary. Overtime. As you can imagine the traditional wording for these prayers has changed. But i grew up with my grandmother and my great-grandmother. Who prefer the traditional prayers so we prayed. The traditional prayers. Many colombian families today continue to observe this tradition. Even as american custom such as the christmas tree stand to claus and even the turkey dinner. Have been incorporated or 10 to supplant the old traditions. I remember. That each of the nine evenings of the novena was spent at the home of a different relative or friend. The plant the prayers were read. And then the instruments. Came out. My great-grandmother played an instrument called a deeply it's a 12-string guitar. And she played we took out my daca we took out tambourine and we sang the vegan sikos or christmas carols. We would gather around the passivity or nativity scene that was a miniature recreation of a small village to include the stable and the holy family around the manger. And these nativity scenes. We're phenomenal people would go all out it was almost like a competition. To recreate these little villages and people would act actually bring in all different types of lichens. And greens to decorate their manger scene. Each family would set aside a section of their living room. To do this. As children we always look forward to playing the tambourine in maracas during the vun ceco's. The traditional yummy foods that somalis the nadia which was a sweet. Creamy custard in my grandmother would always make. Delicious raspberry sauce. Would go with it. Nwa. Which. I would need today but their deep-fried cheese fritters and they were delicious we shared shared after the novena. But above all. All the kids would wonder who that year was going to have the privilege of placing the baby jesus in the crib on christmas day. So we were all on our best buy. When we move to the united states. Baby jesus was eventually replaced by santa claus as the bearer of gifts. And the paseo verde was replaced with the christmas tree. But we still read the novena and sang the regency coast. We did that until we were about in middle schools. When preparations for christmas shifted to watching the corny holiday movies. Used to love. Sharing a traditional colombian meal. Decorating the christmas tree and going to church on christmas day. My parents often packed us onto the subway to go to rockefeller center to see the huge christmas tree and watch the ice skaters. When i move back to columbia to teach up for college graduation. The idea of santa claus and reindeers in the tropics. Seems a little bit too much. I thought of cultural imperialism linked to increasing materialism and that just didn't work for me to holiday celebrations lost. A great deal of their appeal for me. And have never. Seem the same. That is until i had children. The holidays has since become a time for family. Reflecting on the year that has gone by and the year to come. A reminder to be grateful for what we have in an opportunity to reach out to others. This afternoon steve and i and tyler orcutt will be driving to the airport to pick up our daughters who are returning from college for the holidays. Lauren and gabby grew up without much emphasis on santa claus and i better be careful here. And santa respecting our skepticism kept his discs. But we always had a christmas tree and as much family as we could assemble. When the girls were very young and important part of the holiday. For two or three years. Was their participation in the theater guild annual christmas show. Along with their participation through music or plays in this fellowship services. I know that the sense of community and family. Or being surrounded by caring adult adults. Even when they have to sit through boring services. Has had a big influence on van. Their memories of their shot childhood. And their character. In many ways the fellowships filled the void left. By the waning of the traditions i remember from my childhood. As i suppose every generation must find its own traditions. Regardless of the holiday accoutrements. Christmas has been and will continue to be. A time for gratitude. For family. For reaching out. And anticipation of a new year. Full of possibilities. Feliz navidad prospero ano nuevo merry christmas and a happy new year to you all. My father wendell w alexander. Was a naval officer. And a hard hat salvage diver who spent the last half of world war ii. Are american warship in the mediterranean trying. Mostly unsuccessfully. To clear the harbors of scuttle. French warships. After the war ended. He and his ship returned to new york city in the autumn of 1946. With his fellow officer and war buddy lloyd ewing immediately introduced my father. Kid sister. My mother. Marsha. Ewing. A social worker. From rochester new york. 7 weeks later talked about the greatest generation they were also the quickest generation. 7 weeks later. On december 22nd my mother and father were married. In the office of a baptist minister outside of philadelphia. And exactly 10 months later to the day my eldest brother george was born. In milwaukee wisconsin with my birth following 18 months later. And my two other brothers after that. All during my childhood. One of the biggest and most anticipated family events of the holiday was the christmas party christmas party. Which happened with great planning and excitement of a every year and in the alexander household in wisconsin. The saturday before christmas. Water my parents wedding anniversary on the 22nd. Our big house in the woods. Preparation for the christmas party. Massive amounts of rich holiday food and drink were procured for the more than 60 guests that always attended. And a school bus. Was rented. This is an actual picture. Two other far friends from milwaukee. We rented a school bus to bring my parents friends from milwaukee down to racine. And that was years before anybody knew about designated drivers. Our house was decorated from top to bottom with reeves and holly and ribbon and pine cone. At all things christmas. And the boys. This was 1956 there were only three of us then the boys. Each. That's me in the middle. The boys were each assigned their task to make sure that our big party. When the evening arrive with the house toasty warm and full of the aromaz insights of christmas we all got dressed up. The boys in rather unfamiliar coat and tie. My mother and father in their best evening wear. Ennis boys we first help to unroll i don't know where we got this thing we had a long red carpet. The path. To the. School bus was parked in all the other people were parked to let our guests know. How special we thought they were. Soon the guests begin arriving out of the december cold. And some magical years of course it was gently snowing. Everybody was elegantly dressed for the evening. The christmas party was so special and exciting to me over my childhood years. The guest all made a fuss about us toe head blonde boys. And we we just loved this party. I have so many wonderful memories of those rockets christmas parties that's my mother at the piano. And that's my uncle my father to my mother with the drink in his hand. Again i'm afraid to report. We love these parties. The last of the downright. Characters among my parents friend. But the thing i remember most vividly was the singing. Every year that was nothing but singing in that house kind of like your house in columbia with all the instruments. My mother and that's why she also played guitar. Oregon we had an organ in the house as well. Was particularly musical as was my extended ewing clan my aunts and uncles. All of them were singers. Who showed up each year ready and eager to bella way the night. It was never long on the christmas party evenings before the carols began like this scene here. But the singing. That night in our house was never restricted you see to the predictable holiday favorites they were always. At my christmas parties we would have odd songs. People. One particular christmas party song i remember which was sung every year by my uncle lloyd again that's him with the tie. I am a glass. He just sang at second every year with unabashed its scottish gaston and believe it or not the song was the titanic. I never understood why my lloyd my uncle lloyd love that. Nautical ballad every year because it didn't have any or jesus. But every year before the evening was out we all had this thing the titanic. It was sad when the great ship went down to the bottom of the. It was a great ship went down. Have been gone now for many many years. One of my brothers my youngest brother eric is also gone. Am i other two remaining brothers well we live hundreds and hundreds of miles apart. And my memories of that big friendly house in the woods on james avenue. With each passing decade. But i will never forget our christmas parties. Which remind my heart every time this year. That all of us children and adults alike. Are free to sing. We are always free to say. At the top of our lungs off-key. Irregularly. About the baby born in the manger. About the angels. And the shepherds. And the stars and when the spirit moves. The sing about the thai. Merry christmas everybody. Merry christmas. And this morning. I get the absolute joy of telling you the tale. Of the snobbish. A favorite christmas story concerned the ox. Who. Share the stable that night in bethlehem. Was joseph. Mary and the baby. What conserval amazement. He witnessed the birth. The visit of the shepherds. He hurt all the time. How about the stars and the angelic chorus. It's finally watch the next morning. Joseph and mary fled. With their stunts. Forte. All the other animals in the stable. Could talk about nothing but their curious. Human get. Well the ox. Violently chewed his cut. Over in the dark corner of the manger. Finally he couldn't stand it anymore all the fun out of the corner to grumble. Understand. How are you know i really don't know why you are all interested. In this broken-down stable has. It was very like any other babies born. No. Are very long-lived creatures in this one was no exception. He was still present. 37 years later. The witness the sad end of the stable born child. At the hands of pontius pilate. And his cruel roman soldiers. The ox then turned and remarked to his companions. I do it all the time. No account. He was. Temporary ordinary song. Ordinary people. It was then. That the donkey. Who had carried jesus interesting miles. You are right. This man may have had. Billy aging death. An ordinary verse. An ordinary death. But he certainly lived. An extraordinary. Life. It's the wise donkey. Who carries for us all. A hint. As to how our christmas time this year. Can be more significant. This room this morning can confess to being even more ordinary than the family from nazareth. No wise man knows shepherds dirt lino choruses of angels attended our cradles. And our dads she'll undoubtedly not. Be remembered as lg. What do you. About the christmas season. Is it we can make it a time of extraordinary living. If we choose to. We can touch. Other people around us with unusual neighborliness. Unusual generosity. Unusual expressions of love. And tenderness. And care. We can remember and perhaps even take the heart during the rest of the year the unusual message. Of jesus. The good news. He has shared. With the people of his time namely. Heather is something we. Can do about justice. Something we can do about peace. Jesus messages if there is love waiting for us. To bring to birth. Love for someone. Somewhere on earth. Who needs are simple compassion. Unconcerned. Christmas comes with a message. That no matter how ordinary we may feel ourselves to be. We are capable of developing. And extraordinary. If only for a season. Living with astounded generosity of spirit. This christmas season i would have you remember the story of the snobbish ox. Who missed entirely. The meaning and the point. Remember. Even more. The wisdom of the donkey. Who reminds us that. Ordinary folks. Like us. Can be extraordinary messengers. Of that which is best. And brightest. Is this creation. You. Can help make christmas true. In your little corner of creation. You. Can bring the spirit of the season to birth. Right. Where.

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2012Jul22Sermon128.mp3

Artichokes and alligators maybe i've had just a bit too much spiritual time on my hands lately that can happen to a minister in the quieter months of summer. I've been thinking a lot though recently about this amazingly intricate natural world of ours and how we human beings should stand should understand our place sometimes are decidedly insignificant place. What's in the grand scheme of it all. I think it's spiritual matters a great deal actually how we two legged arthropods. It's a very important for us to have a spiritually mature and realistic and i might add scientifically accurate understanding of the natural world. And how we is just one species. Among. Millions. Finneon. I must admit that what got me thinking about along these lines was a stark contrast that struck me the other day when i was pondering this world amazing diversity of life between two things artichokes and alligators. Hey i told you i i've had too much spiritual time on my hands lately my mind. Has wandered into some rather curious places but hang with me this morning dear friends rio sure you there's a useful sermon in here somewhere. Artichokes and alligators. No my almost. Any measure those are two pretty dissimilar things in this creation aren't they. About the only thing they have in common is that they are both green. And scaly and bumpy to the touch. But here's what put them. Together in my head. The culinary aspect. I love to eat artichokes and alligators love to eat me. Well that's what i was thinking about. Let me start by discussing artichokes. Artichokes are one of my favorite foods in the whole world i grew up in wisconsin don't know why my parents in wisconsin new about artichokes cuz nobody else did but we love them. And here you see that someone is in the process of devouring one. I love steaming them for about an hour or so in a big pot with a few cloves of fresh garlic if i have them. Until they are soft and tender and then eating them with drawn butter of course no mayonnaise or anything like that but drawn butter. 1 deliciously fit a time as this person has already done until you get down to the real culinary reward. The artichokes tender and meaty heart. The succulent. Flavor. Core. Which i carefully then cut up with a knife. And simile bathe each piece in drawn butter. Artichokes are wonderful in. Good things. Just slowly eat. With your family and friends. Peeling apart and eating an artichoke as a separate course it must be a separate. What's what's some good white wine if you have it if you. Gives you time. To talk and laugh and enjoy the camaraderie of an evening even as your taste buds. Savor this curious. Green delicacy. In a word artichokes are an exquisite and delicious gif. Of this creation of our. And if you haven't yet discovered the lighter judah look up how you cook them already told you how to. And then there's the other side. Of this mental equation. Mine. Alligator. One of the most fearsome. And ferocious animals on the planet and i grew up in wisconsin you can go in the water and wisconsin sharks and alligators and stingrays orno barracudas. Come down here you got to watch when you get in the water. They are found at you won't know in abundance some million-and-a-half strong here in the waterways of florida. And they will catch you and they will eat you unexpected human if you make the mistake of not properly respecting their natural habitat. Earlier this month as many of you saw on the news seventeen-year-old floridian kaleb langdale was swimming. To cool off from the summer heat with friends. In the cool outside kalos a tri-river in southwest florida when hungry 10th what alligator took his arm off and would have taken all of caleb. Have this world wise teenager not realize he had to give up his arm. To save. His life. The point is. It's a live here an alligator-infested florida requires that you use caution. When you are in or near water. And these for these fears and hungry creatures will make a meal of you. If you give them a chance it's in there. So. We interact with both artichokes and alligators in very different ways that's plain enough via. Where am i spiritually going with this. Well these two disparate natural phenomenon symbolize for me the curious and often contradictory relationships. We human beings have with this amazing complex creation about. There is so much in this world of ours so much of sheer grace and beauty blessing and delight like. Big and fighting artichokes waiting to be eaten. And at the same self time. There is so much in this world so very much of absolute danger and destruction risk and ugliness like. Hungry alligators hiding along the riverbank waiting. For unsuspected pray to wonder by. And did a similar natural vein. There are as you all know warm tropical days here in the treasure coast so hospitable and beautiful. You might think you died and gone to heaven. But there are also dark and heroin days as my reading pointed out. When hurricanes or other violent weather races shore. And unleash unimaginable sorrow in destruction. A day you might think you entered hell itself. That exists here in the treasure coast my point is. The hours is undeniably a world of both grace and gruesomeness. This mysterious creation gives us at the same self moment. Both alligators and artichokes. Hurricanes and hyacinths. Lizards and blueberries. Pancreatic cancer cells and. Christine crescent beach. Tornadoes in trumpets one this world gives us both raspberries and rattles. And so my spiritual question today is. How do we human beings make useful sense. Of this contradictory and confusing all this blessed yet bedeviling world. And our place in it how do we as human beings living on this natural planet or a. Come to spiritual terms with a world that is in one moment. So utterly delicious and divine and in the very next moment destructive. Well the first thing you must remember from science classes back in high school and college. Is it the spy. The fact that human activity now almost totally dominates our planet and i would add in day. Very little. Of everything that makes up the natural world. Is about us. Or our human needs. Sure we human beings have successfully evolved mostly in terms of neurological complexity and cultural. Sophistication. In ways that largely enable us to dominate and control many animal species. Everything from mosquitoes. We have mosquito control this. Here in florida. And cows. And many natural phenomenon like floodwaters are dams and levees. Usually can safely channel. Or like the forest fires we are usually able to extinguish. But the natural sciences remind us at every living thing and all of this world interconnected phenomenon have developed the way they have generally by paying absolutely no attention. To our needs. Our desires and wishes. But rather by the inexorable unseen hand of evolution. And other immutable and powerful laws of nature. Let's just take artichokes and alligators free. Because charles darwin was the unitarian. His theory of evolution has been irrefutably proven by countless. Scientific experimentation and observation. That evolution is the mechanism by which life changes and develops on this planet everything in the tiniest. Micro to the largest. Whale. We know for example. But the fact. That encounter with an artichoke is so pleasant and satisfying to us today and conversely that the encounter with an alligator is so unpleasant. Or dangerous. Are merely accidental consequences of these two species one plant and one animal evolutionarily pursuing their own survival and success it's an accident of their seeking their survival and their success. They're artichoke this and their alligator this is not about us it's about them. And they're naturally carving out a niche and creation. As best they can. If i understand darwin and natural selection right artichokes there is an artichoke. In blossom. The budding flower portion of the thistle plant. Have have evolved into the intricate pleasure they are simply as a means of ensuring their propagation and survival is a plant. Other beautiful flower that results from the artichoke that you see here. Is singularly designed not to please our pallet. But to attract i didn't find this on the web i couldn't find it but i assumed to attract the insects. That will pollinate the plants and help us survive. Spread. Similarly alligators. Alligators have evolve. Into the stealth indelibly picture. I want to meet him. End of the stealth and effective meat-eating creatures which occupy our waterways here in florida. Not because they're out to get us. But because they want to eat and survive and produce healthy offspring they're not out to get us it's not about you. The fact that artichokes seem delicious and intriguing to us. And conversely that alligators are so abhorrent and terrifying. Has nothing to do with us although these particular natural facts about these green things. Do matter to us. It's okay to interface with an artichoke it's not okay to interface with an alligator. Charles darwin proved in the natural sciences have since repeatedly proven. Trevor great spans of time. Each particular species in its particular habitat. Is continuously and simply doing its own thing. And naturally adapting and changing for its survival and success. We human beings of course have all kinds of judgments and reactions to the way other plants and animal species. Seemed to us we despise for example wasps and mosquitoes. But we love. Panda bears on bunny rabbits. But none of this means they're paying any attention to us. Or our judgment. They're not. Purposely hostile or hospitable to us. That's not what they're about. So what i'm saying here is an obviously. We homosapien shouldn't take it personally. That artichokes are wonderful. And alligators seem wicked. They are essentially indifferent to. And the niche. We human being. Are similarly carving out in our habitat. And as it is with the plant and animal species so too it is with natural and weather phenomenon isn't it. Like rainbows and hurricanes we have a lot of those in florida. Here in florida we are regularly uplifted and charmed by rainbows. When they splash their amazing color across the beautiful summer sky. And in the same in the same season we are not infrequently terrified and endangered by hurricane. When they form like the lower picture when they form far out to sea and raced toward our homes here. In all their incredible destructive power but again. Neither of these natural phenomenon or of course paying any attention. To our needs or our lives. Rainbows and hurricanes respectively happened simply because predictable meteorological forces and nature come together in just the right way to make that possible. Although it is increasingly undeniable that we human beings as the major force of nature that we are are affecting evolution and natural phenomenon like the dangerous global warming we have created. By burning fossil fuels which may lead to the extinction of thousands upon thousands of species. They're not able to adapt. Those changes were already seeing thousands of c. This is you all know from reading. Intelligent articles about. Many thousands. They can't adapt. Climate change that we. Or when we prevent ecologically helpful prairie fires are burning across the prairies again. Negatively affecting. Countless animal and plant species. Course we effect we human beings affect evolution. But nature wallet evolutionary responds and predictable mechanisms of change. Remains indifferent to our behavior. Whether it be wise. Foolish. Hurricanes for exam. That are most climate scientists are telling us now becoming more frequent and intense in this century are not out to punish. Humanity. Fourth global warming folly. Reverend pat robertson the tv evangelist and i guess you could call him a social commentator. Might believe hurricanes veer away from vero beach where his church is located and strike new orleans where he's. Concluded the human cinnabon. But anybody with more than the kindergarten understanding of science and the laws of nature not to mention immature spiritual respect for all human life. Knows the hurricane. Have no. Moral. They do not. Let me bring all this precisely home. Back with those back-to-back monster hurricane frances and jeanne hit vero beach just days apart. In 2005. It was not because those storms somehow decided quote to put vero beach in their crosshairs. Okay or two quote-unquote target assorted quote-unquote make vero beach the bullseye as so many other commentators seem to say at the time. Nature is not out to either bless us. When it gives us artichokes or asparagus to eat. Nor to get us one random hurricanes wreck havoc in our coastal communities. Nature is absolutely indifferent. To our needs are human judgments and our human activities again. We human beings do change and affect things by leaving such a large footprint as we are now doing on our planet. But nature whether it be this planet's plants or animals or weather. Does not quote-unquote care. Or choose. To ask for human bein or benefit. Just as it has since the beginning of time. Nature in all its myriad forms of manifestations is just blindly being itself. Following its immutable laws. To their inevitable natural. So. Follow my logic. I believe it is a silly for someone to say that rainbow was put in the sky for me this morning to see it i needed to be uplift. As it is for a tv weather person to say is they routinely do. Is hurricane has put the gulf coast in its crosshairs it's painted a bull's-eye right on pascagoula and it's coming toward us. The hurricane. And the rainbow curse. Care less about. They're just doing the only thing they can. Is there rain bonus or there hurricane. Ness. So people. Should not. Spiritually speaking. Take either the blessings of nature or the blows of nature. Personally. I don't often make references in my sermons to me being a gay male but i have to. There's a phrase in the gay male community when somebody in the gay male circle is making a big drama about their life. That's our something that's happening them somebody will inevitably blurred-out oh for god's sake mary shut up it's not about you. Well i'm saying the same thing about nature. It's not about you. What i'm trying to affirm here is it during our lifetimes on this planet. We mustn't take nature's phenomenon either the wonderful. Or the wicked. Are the part of the painful. Personally. Because nature is i've said is eternally in. To our needs. Our desires. And our judgments. The natural world. Is not i am passionately persuaded spinning out some sort of quote. Grandeur purposeful plan for human beings. Either as a species. Nor for individuals. The flow of natural life both in its gracious dimensions and its crew someone. Really isn't about us and the sooner we discover that. It's not about us. The more successfully we can move spirits. True hour. And through the good and bad time. I have a ministerial colleague in michigan. A previously totally healthy woman in her mid-50s. Who recently had a terrifying and unexpected cerebral hemorrhage. But suddenly threatened her life. No blessedly this colleague has over recent months made a full and fast recovery. It has been told that all likelihood she will never experience. Another life-threatening cerebral event in her life. With cerebral hemorrhage is apparently. It seems that sometimes in some individuals awesome for reasons. The doctors can never pin down or explain. Blood vessels in the brain suddenly break and some person. And it is at an anomalous and dangerous medical event that naturally happens. Too many thousands of persons. Each year. And that's how we should scientifically understand them. Cerebral hemorrhages. As anomalous and unpredictable events but when. I was recently discussing her medical scare with her. My colleague mentioned that one of the most appalling parts of a recovery. Was having some all be them god knows well-meaning insincere. Up friends and acquaintances. Repeatedly express their belief to her. Out loud. The blood vessel burst in her head quote. For no reason. For a purpose. In other words people around her were suggesting that the scary and life-threatening natural medical event. Was part of some grand spiritual plan. To help her become i don't know that. Kind of human being she supposed to come. You know more grateful for the gift of life were more patient with her husband and children. Or closer to god or more mindful of the gift of life. They never really said why they thought this was all part of this plan for her. My colleague fully aware of the straightforward. Scientific and natural reasons for hemorrhage. Was furious. She was still on jekyll fury. The people would ascribe such meaning. To what she knew to be a meaningless natural event. And i to think this kind of thinking is unscientific. Spiritually and emotionally unsustainable. Not to mention offensive. Again rainbows do not appear in the sky to quote-unquote make your day happier. And hurricanes do not make landfall. Precisely where they strike to punish your sinfulness i'm sorry pat robertson that is not white hornet that's not why hurricanes. Reach landfall in certain play. And blood vessels do not break and some of our brains to make us better people are to help us appreciate the gift of life that's not what happens. Did i say that loudly enough. No please hear this. Such appreciation and spiritual growth after you face a dangerous thing in your life. Might in fact result. From you having a medical crisis or surviving a terrible storm i've known plenty of people. Who survive heart attacks or a cancer scare. And it has changed their life and made them better people they feel. But that's. Not. Why. Nature including that. Constantly expresses itself in our own bodies. Again it's just doing its own thing. It is indifferent to our thoughts and needs and development as person. The sooner we understand this. The better we can thread through the. Blessings on the sorrows of the lifetime. That are ours. Is not about us. A few years ago. One of my best friends in the world i've talked. About him before paul. Who were the skilled veterinarian and all-around wonderful husband and father and human being and we are scattering his. He was diagnosed with a terribly aggressive and malignant tumor. In his back. Spine. A cancer that after several years of struggle eventually. Paul's life. Paul was a hard. Noticed no-nonsense empirical cornell educated. Scientist. And he was very philosophical as a scientist about his illness. An illness yes he nonetheless fought with every ounce of his strength and being and soul and heart. Whenever we discuss the cancer that was spreading through his body and robbing him of his mobility and freedom and strength he was a strapping guy. Paul refuse the absolutely spiritually refuse. To take any of this tragedy that was happening to him personally. He refused to even entertain the question. Which so many people who gets emily sick want to ask that. Question why me. He refused to ask that question. Paul new. But in this natural creation human cells in our bodies sometimes mutate. And become cancerous and attack the host. Body and the. And if that was precisely and only what was happening to him. He did not believe he got cancer to quote facilitate his spiritual growth. Or to bring him closer to his family. Or just somehow become a better person he believed he got cancer because well he got cancer. .. And paul as i. Refuse to believe that nature was somehow purposefully and injecting itself. Spiritually into his life. By making him sick. One of the worst. And i believe most utterly unscientific and illogical ideas. But you unfortunately here expressed in our culture again. And again and again. Is it everything in this natural world happens for a larger purpose and reason because it's all part of a master plan i do not believe this and do not see how this. Possibly be so. As i said again and again this. In as many ways as i know how to intelligently say it. Nature. Disease. Weather animals everything in this natural world operates by rules. But have little or nothing to do with. Now when we human beings are confronted with natural adversity and destructiveness natural events like. Cancer. Hurricanes. An alligator. Because we are meaning-making creatures. We may well find life and purpose and energy new insight and wisdom in our lives. As we cope. With these crises. But these natural phenomenon. Our indifference. To these contacts of meaning and purpose. But this deep. Eternal indifference. That i believe nature has toward us. Does not mean that life on this planet is meaningless. Or purposeless. Or without hope. Nor does it mean we should not love and cherish. Both the natural world in which we find ourselves and the lives. We so tenderly. Continuously hold on to. The fact that life. I believe. Is. The life and nature are neither out to bless us or to batter us. Does not mean that we cannot love this world. And the amazing opportunity. We have to live our lives to build relationships and we wonder his meetings and joy into our lives. This creation in different as it is to us is none-the-less a sacred. A home for us to build lives of meaning and draw a. Even though it isn't. One of the last times i saw my friend paul alive. Beautiful summer evening. When collins and i are returning home from a car trip through new england to see a variety of fresh. Stop the millington new jersey to their home. To have dinner and an evening with. Paul is. We talked all night. Are there magical candlelit screened in porch deep in the woods just a jc. The great swamp. With the crickets in the cicadas in the. Wild. He's roaming everywhere. And we talked. About what paul. Was facing. Several times. I'm not soft and lovely evening. Chemist with so much sadness. This wise and. Precise. And spiritual and scientifically. Unsentimental man said to us in several ways. Well. There it is. I always knew this guy. My cancer is back. My prognosis. But there it is. I have not been singled out. It's just a bit of bad luck. I have to live as best. And is joyfully and his. Holy as i can. Or i still have my life. And i still have my fam. And i will always. Cherish. And that is where i wish to spiritually. Leave you this. We must love this world. We must love this world. Was just curious and a different mix of artichokes and alligators. Raspberries and rattlesnakes beautiful summer clouds. Terrible tornadoes we must love this world. Not because it promises us endless days filled with rainbows and blueberries and gentle summer rain. We must love this world. Because it is the holy uncertain an amazing workshop. Where we shape our lives. I pray it. Into works of purpose and meaning. 2 works. Satisfaction. And love. Amidst all the trouble. Some spiritually might imagine that they can wait. For some other. Better. Next creation. Some other better next creation that will offer them all artichokes. And no alligators. But the spiritually wise no client to their hearts. That it isn't this ambivalent world this world indifferent to us as it eternally is. So we must build our heavens. Find. Our holiness. Sing the songs. We were meant. To sing. And fall in love. Right here. Right now.

uufvb_org

2012Dec02Sermon32.mp3

Well good morning. What a beautiful day to be in the treasure coast i hope all of you get outdoors this afternoon so very beautiful here on welcome. The unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach florida we are so pleased you have chosen to be with us this morning. And he wants you to know that you are welcome just as you come to us precisely as you come to us. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. Better what's your abilities or disabilities might be. What are you are feeling on top of the world or down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you. We welcome you and all of your particularity and charm. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. And you'll find something here to take with you in the days and months ahead that will make your life on more joyful and a more reflective and compassionate thing. As i thought about my sermon this week i realized it's the second installment in a two-part sermon series the first of which. Was prince arthur by you last sunday. This i'm kind of picking up on some of his theme. My meditation today listen to this poem. By john holmes was priest. 580 kappa. At the harbor graduation. In 1956. It is entitled the eleventh commandment. Listen to parts of the poem. And then the silence that will follow. When moses came down from the mountain and the cloud. The air above him empty at all still. You stood. There have been trumpets in the fire. But he was hole. He was moses. Older than older. Remembering what he saw saying to himself. A white light in his face what he must say to the people. Remembering the law. Moses would say everything. God had said to him to the people waiting below in the valley to here. But there was one more commandment. More than 10. Only an auditor very old. An old man with moses's many years could know that. After the ten commandments. One more. Sarah long time hearing. Terry's up there all he had ever known. Now you must order before and after god's word. What both knew. And shining. Moses went down. He read. From the tablet. The last word. Listen. Those. Were those who were to be the new world. Heard the law and moses spaghetti again with the first word. Listen. You can hear time passing. And then began. But not daughters with hearing or sons with ears only musicians and poets. And the generations became lookers at. Sears. Lost. Lost. All the shouts and the lovely sing. Of the wind in olives. Birds and children the shepherd's whistle. The priests at noon train. And we cannot hear now. No one who listened. World of the sound. Nor the trumpets nor the wordless songs girls sing. In their mother's house has more wheels on the ground. But there are trumpets in trees. And river song. Listen. The shiver of wind the shoes of children trees never stopped. Listen. You cannot shut it out. Listen. To the length of all life and one voice. But it is loud. But it is meaningless ugly. Only the. Noisy. Make noise. The noisy. Like noise. Noise. Is the most unremembered of all sounds. It forgets itself and is gone as soon as it came. You listen. To the stillness voices. Of the mind. Who is the herald in the speaker hero. The maker of music the stick no. The listener. The figure that makes a zero. The number 10. The one that there's be dumb. Let us divide honors. For this good listener. While the world and time we're running away stayed. Independence are without them you are and lived and is living to listen. Another day praise the good listener yet. Nvm he is that man. Who is all that he has heard. The good listener is strong. The talker week the talker. Talking. Drains away his strength. Phil's the listener. To hear a speaker speak. He is calm always of the great lengths. Receiving the turbulence into his own peace. It is not enough. That one's own inner voice. Make of ones. Life. Alarm monotone. Mine. To be because of me rejoice. A man but little less and less. And none what does he hear the news. Who has only heard. From his own. Island it is a treasure of dust. On the wind. When he unlocked. His word hoard. And then the poem. Moses's command open. The world's mouth. To honor the memory of life. One listener. Is man multiply. Man. Taking in x breath. To be in one body ancestor and are. Heos. One does. Attention. Man. If he means to live. She'll hold his whole mind. Awake. With this. The law. Began. So moses brought the 11th. Commandments. Down. Knowing his will stir his blood hasten. That the word be said aloud the word be known that on all men might take hold and fasten on it and here. Hear it in all. Tongue. Listen. So. I'm at breakfast panera. The wonderful new member of uscb who asked if we can have a little one-on-one time with me to stitcher great let's meet at panera. And after a little introductory chitchat he says to me so scott. The main reason i want to talk to you this morning was to find out if there's room for a fiscal and economic conservative like me. In this congregation. No i must admit that i'm always a bit discouraged and taken aback when such a question of inclusion is asking. Because it suggests that person has stumbled upon some. Illiberal. Intolerance or exclusion in the congregation. And wanting every member of course the feel totally at home in affirmed here. Course of course there's room for economic conservatives in our congregation. You mean that you were little when it comes to your approach. To matters of the spirit. It has nothing to do with your political economic or philosophically. After nearly four decades of serving a variety of yoohoo congregations i know full well why this question came to me here in vero beach the way it did innocently enough. A hammer. Over coffee. For the truth is that many economic and political conservatives who start attending one of our congregation. Eventually somehow get the message covertly or overtly explicitly or implicitly directly or indirectly. The theater conservative ideas are really not welcome in this. Liberal. Congregation. Despite our characteristic openness and tolerance for differences. Sometimes you use god knows. Generally without meaning to. Can send. Intolerance. Inhospitable messages to those with social political or economic perspectives. Which differ from the liberal you you norm. And you all know this is. Let me make this point for the other reversed perspective. Pretty regular somebody comes up to me and you use setting and says. You know what i really like about this current location. Here everybody thinks just like i do. It's so refreshing to be around somebody smart intelligent thoughtful like-minded enlighten people. Just let it go. If i. If i really want if i'm going to respond. Step2 this at length with you now. Let me say that in every uu congregation i've ever served over four decades in my ministry. Including most certainly this one. This is simply not the case that everyone quote and quote thinks and believes alike. Well that's true that every values survey of you use ever done. Reveals it is a people. We are people in our congregation do tend to share. To a remarkable statistical degree. Basic values for living. And wild is further true that many if not most in our congregations tend to cluster around a basic. Social political and economic liberalism american outlook. It is not true that there is anything even vaguely like. Broad and electrical or philosophical or moral consensus. In our congregation. And i would hasten to add. Nor should there be. Whether you are talking theological or philosophical outlook. Political perspective economic theory or social conviction. Despite the surface appearance of a general consensus around here. In fact no such thing exists. Here in this congregation and an any of our more than 1050 other congregations in the us and canada. If you actually take time. Engage those around you insincere inquiry. Genuine listening. And significant conversation which is what liberal churches are supposed to be about. You will discover. An amazing diversity of thought belief opinion and perspective. Pitbull eyes. The conformity you might think exist here. Perhaps the easiest and. Most least controversial diversity to identify around here. Is our philosophical. And theological diversity you can have people sitting here. With buddhist outlook christian outlook mystics rationalist agnostic skeptics as well as a downright confused. But most of us are kind of spiritually a collect. That's who the unitarian universalism really is. But most of us are. I think are pretty comfortable with the thought. But here we can with equal respect and he's and interest. In the same service hear the words of jesus. Or the dalai lama. Or may start or even winnie-the-pooh okay with that. But our diversity here goes much deeper and broader in some ways much more challenging. That are theological. Spiritual rainbow. Trust me. We are not. Of one political social economic and moral mind around here not even. Despite the large number is fading obama-biden stickers that are out in the parking lot this morning. You'll be sadly mistaken if you think that everyone sitting in this room this morning voted. A second term for our president. You would similarly be mistaken if you think everyone here agrees with your personal social and moral conclusions about healthcare. Abortion. The death penalty. Federal welfare and tax policy global warming or peace in the middle east. No matter whether you were talking theological beliefs. Economic theory political perspective or social. Policy. Wide and deep intellectual diversity. Existir. Much more than perhaps. You might be comfortable. You know 30 years ago it was the gays and the lesbians who were in the closet in our congregation. Hiding in plain sight because they feared judgment. Rejection and ostracism today the only people in the closet here are republicans and economic conservatives. You laugh. The truth is you don't have to listen in on too many of our casual coffee our conversations around here. Before you'll begin to hear direct and derogatory remarks about the republican party for example and their policies. Play individual to seem to assume that everybody shares their fealty. To a liberal political. I suspect. That this is what has happened to our new member who asked me innocently over coffee. If there's really room for him here. That's what he was asking. And he's probably already heard. His conservative perspectives being summarily ridiculed or dismissed. Without conversation. Without deep engagement. This is a real problem in our movement and it's a problem.. It is disconcerting. And i would add ultimately spiritually unacceptable as. The situation of liberal exclusion and intolerance. Leads me to the second. Animals perhaps crucial part of my response to those who say what i like about this current location. Is it everyone think. And believes the way i do. If you think the being part of a liberal religious congregation means that you're going to only need people who mirror and reflect and confirm and celebrate your opinion. You missed the whole point. About what it means to be a religious liberal. You missed the whole point. So what is the essence of that liberal religious way. I would suggest it has two essential and interconnected components. You have. 1. A broad. Ready consistent generosity of spirit. And to an eager. Open flexible and genuinely humble intellectual methodology. That's kind of a mouthful. Let me break this. First. Liberalism how we got the computer fixed. This is what it means to be a religious liberal. Abroad ready inconsistent generous. Spirit. An eager. Open and flexible and genuinely humble there is a big word. Intellectual methodology. First degeneres. Spirit. Have a great thing encyclopedia of philosophy on my desk and my shelf. And it describes. What a liberal person in the immoderate modern american sense of that word means. It's not only one who affirms and values human liberty and egalitarian. mmm. Whenever and wherever possible which is the most classic understanding of the word liberal. But liberals also approach all questions. All persons. And all human dilemmas and now i quote the encyclopedia. With a bountiful. Generous. Open. Heart. Spirit. A bountiful. Generous. Open hearted spirit. It means if you call yourself a religious liberal. You aspire to approach all life. And persons and questions. With a big and kind spirit. Trusting the basic goodness of persons. Grabbing others the maximum responsible freedom to be who and what they are including their thoughts. And doing what you can to be generous and supportive of others. No matter how different from you. Or their ideas appear. Tubi. And you all know what the opposite of generosity is when it comes to religious spirit. We have a pastor in this town who should who is now preaching homophobic sermons. Were you saying all game lesbian people should feel miserable in their send everyday this is not. Generous. This is not kind. This. Is rigid and cold. Hearts. A true religious liberal on the other hand. Is open and generous and kind of truly tolerant to diversity even those diversities would you find uncomfortable like sexuality. Or other diversities like coloring face. You just need to. Embrace. And i are generally. Thoughtful about. And embracing all human express. The second mark of religious liberalism. To have that open. Flexible methodology. Being a religious liberal is not a matter of pledging allegiance. Particular set of left-wing or liberal beliefs. It is rather an epistemological methodology. An epistemological methodology no. For those of you who listen to me over the last couple years is. Fanci freez i've used before david intimidate. Simply means. What epistemology means. It's the study. The theory or method of knowledge. Epistemological epistemology ask this question. How do you know something is real or true or right. Why what intellectual method. Do you move towards your beliefs. Your ideals your conviction. What is your stance. For truth. And doubt and certainty. Religious liberalism in general. And this congregation in particular is built upon. An open-ended questioning tolerant the verse and above all. Non-dogmatic epistemology. Anon dogmatic way of doing the spirits business if you. Being a religious liberal unlike being a religious fundamentalist. Means the deep to your spiritual and intellectual bonds you understand. How complex. And elusive. And ambiguous. Truth. And reality can be fundamentalist do not go for ambiguity. Religious liberals embrace ambiguity. And the gray area that lies always between white and black. It means that even though you may have strong liberal convictions in principle. You hold your own religious and moral. And social beliefs. You hold them cautiously. And modestly. Hold your own convictions and ideas. With a certain skepticism a suspicion toward your own thought process. Tentativeness. Even when you are passionately convinced. You are right. Being a genuine religious liberal further means and i'm going to be blunt here for this is really hard. For some unitarian universalist and yes some members of this congregation. To hear. Did you approach all question. And all human concern. With a genuine willingness to seriously consider other contrary beliefs and perspectives. No matter how radically dissonant they clash. With your long-held and obviously correct views. Let me say this just a little differently. Being a religious liberal liberal on this is really crucial mean i have enough intellectual security. Intellectual maturity. Insecurity in your own. Deeply held beliefs. To step back from those beliefs. Long enough. To genuinely considerate the ideas of others. That is what true listening is. Being religious liberal needs no matter how passionately and surely you hold from your beliefs. No matter how committed you are to those. You will always treat the beliefs and perspectives of others. With real respect and genuine consideration. It doesn't mean you're going to necessarily change your mind. But you have to step back from your own spot just a little bit. This open intellectual methodology. Primary tenant. And the crucial operational principle of our faith. You'll notice that the fourth guiding principle of our face. Pain in the back of your orders to service every sunday. Is the free and responsible search. Protruded meaning. The free and responsible search. Treason meaning. Means that your ear really searching you're not just. Set in your own ways you're really genuinely searching for truth and you'll hopefully find more clarify throughs for yourself. By considering. Other. Views. No. Most of you who have been unitarian universalist for anytime. Have heard. Such liberal methodological affirmation. 4. And many of you i hope. Are nodding inside your own liberal heads. In agreement with summer at least most of what i've said this morning. But not so fast. Cuz they're still is a substitute and real problem here. And that problem here frankly is the genuine. Intellectual openness and respect and consideration. For ideas and perspectives. Fathers. Is almost as hard. For liberals to practice. As it is for conservatives. The liberal way as i have described. Genuine openness to ideas you disagree with. Genuine intellectual security about your own ideas. Which enables you not to be threatened. Or rigid. When you encounter people who see the world. Far differently from yourself. Genuine respect. 4 perspectives with steeply challenge. Your own most deeply held. Sometimes, as hard for unitarian universalist as they do for southern baptist. Let me just be out and say this. Over the course of my nearly 40 years in our ministry. I've met more than my share of unitarian universalist jihadists. What i mean by this. Is i've met plenty of illiberal liberals. And i bumped up against plenty of intolerance and dogmatism. In liberal circles. Justice i haven't fundamentalist one. Let me share one example of illiberal liberalism that is fairly safe. Over the years of my ministry i've met you use. Declare that it's fine for the minister to talk about anything from the pulpit. Sex. Drugs pornography death anything except jesus god or prayer. One colleague tells the story of being angrily confronted by a woman here in florida on sunday. After he preached throughout the neighboring current gation and she said young man we don't use that word in our church. Fearing he'd accidentally slip with some barnyard epithet. He said what did i say and she said. God. You said god we're human experimentation we don't use that word around here. So much for the freedom of pulpit. So much for liberal openness. And diversity of spiritual expression. Any such. Intolerance and dogmatic liberal remonstration. Differ. From the spiritual and moral dogmatism that happen in a fundamentalist christian carnegie. They do not. Let me tell you another even more painful story about liberals. Acting it liberally it's from the last congregation iserve. Just outside of washington dc in a quick but obviously side here if i might. It's much easier for me to tell shameful stories on the last group of unitarian universalist that i had to deal with that it is to tell shameful stories about you. It's much safer they're not writing me a paycheck anymore okay. Would you get extrapolate forward if you wish. Here's my story. I was serving that dc-area congregation a very socially justice committed current location. Legislation that year was put forth in montgomery county maryland where the church was located. To create a living wage a minimum wage of over $13 an hour much higher as you all know than the existing federal standard. Now the economic justice task force of that congregation comprised of about a dozen. Very passionate social activist became. Strong advocates in montgomery county for the fair wage proposal. And ask the congregation is a whole to formally go on record as a congregation. By voting at the annual meeting and supporting this local living wage initiative. But if the open hearings we had about this we had dueling economist or saying. You know i'm not sure the best way to ensure a living wage for everybody because virginia doesn't have a living wage and that mean that employers will take jobs virginia. About. The best way to lift. The wage of all people in the region. In any case. Many members of the current gation express doubts about the efficacy of this proposal. And them as they did members of the economic justice task force became increasingly outrage. The unitarian universalist in the community didn't see their way they were outraged. And they were even more mad at me because i refused to take a stand i didn't i wasn't opposed to it. But given the realities in the congregation i just wasn't sure which side the land on. So i didn't. Let me tell you this. Passions what even so far. But after a few months of the vigorous debate of the current gation one member of that task force. Who was then bless his heart on his deathbed said to his wife don't let that bastard alexander bury me he wouldn't come on the living wage proposal. And i didn't bury him they wouldn't let me bury him. Because i didn't agree with him under the economic wage. Unbelievable don't let that bastard bury me he says to his wife. Shish. My point of telling this painful story is to remind us all that our faith tradition. Challenges us always to practice. Nepal. Truly. Liberal methodology. Debate. And engagement on the great issues of our day. Whether it be a living wage proposal. Healthcare legislation. The death penalty. Debates over taxation welfare. Order local-level beach replenishment or whether to fund lifeguard. It doesn't matter. As unitarian universalist we must always practice a truly open. And respectful epistemology. Where everyone holds their own convictions. Yes with passion. But also with modesty. And gentleness. And skepticism about our own thinking. And entertain the convictions of others. With genuine consideration. I hadn't thought about it though. Let me think about that and get back to. And please hear this dear friend. Being genuinely liberal in both tone and spirit. As you dialogue in arguing even and i wish we had more arguing here. I wish we had more sincere engagement of differences. Rather than just dismissing of everyone or you don't really think that. Yes i do. I wish we had more real genuine dialogue. There is away. To have moral passion. And a liberal spirit as well these are not mutually exclusive ideas to be passionate. Have conviction. And also to hold back from your ideas to fax from them. And be truly open in liberal. The hour is almost up. And maybe the sermon has gotten a bit away from me. You know with a little negativity of examples about illiberal liberalism i really don't want to scold. Or center anyone this morning especially cuz you still write my paycheck. So i want to return to my original positive intent. We are unitarian universalist. We are part of a long. A noble religious tradition. That has for centuries been guided not only by an open and generous spirit. Toward person. But also an intellectually open and respectful methodology. That is always kept us supple. And respectful and i pray modest. Before all ideas and perspectives. As modern religious people we promised one another right here in our 7 principles. To always engage in the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Which requires us to hold our own passions. And perspectives with a certain modesty and thoughtfulness. Spirit. As we move into the future. Mindful of how. Very intellectually pernicious are the many dogmatism. Directions of human thought that abound in our culture just listen to talk radio if you want to be sickened about the inability of people. 222b open. We may we in this environment. We commit ourselves each of us to be truly open and eager persons. Frayed and undaunted. Whenever and wherever we find it by both controversy and conversation. Complexity and contradiction dialogue and disagreement. Let us always dive deep and respectful with one another into issues and ideas. Let us always cherish our doubts. Critically examine our own convictions be able to step back. From our own ideas. And truly. As the poet this morning advocated halo. The eleventh commandment. Listen. Always always. Listen. And i say i mean. Amman.

uufvb_org

2012Aug05Sermon32.mp3

Well good morning. And welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach on this first sunday. In august 2012 morning. Aerosol. We are glad you have chosen to be with us this morning. Please know you're welcome just as you come to us. Whether you were younger role. Gay or straight. Black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What are you were feeling on top of the world this morning. We're down in the dumps. Somewhere in between. We welcome you just. You come to us in all of your. Circularity in charm. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. And that you will find something here perhaps just one nugget. That nourishes your spirit. And feed your soul and gives you renewed energy for the. Living of life. In the days and weeks ahead. The following reading is an article. Bikereg or whitney. Entitled. A way out of a gun cellmate. National conversation about guns. The james e holmes shot. 12 people to death. And wounded 58 others. At a movie theater in aurora colorado. Has been a dialogue of the deaf. Stream control advocates and gun-rights supporters stop screaming at each other. I'm look for common ground on how to deal with gun violence. The next massacre. Is only a matter of time. To end the impasse. Liberals and the nra most each give ground. Liberals have to deprive the national rifle association of its core argument. Does the real name of all gun control measures is to strip americans of their rights. To have and use firearms. Gun-control supporters must make it clear that they accept this individual common-law right. Since jamestown and the plymouth colony. The right was recognized in the second amendment to the constitution in 1791 and that the supreme court affirmed its constitutionality. In 2008. Liberals should accept that the only realistic way to control gun violence. Is not by keeping guns out of the hands. Abbas mehdi americans as possible but by keeping guns out of the hands of people we all agree should not have them. Gun owners and their advocates most intern. Stop insisting that gun ownership is an absolute right. The second amendment is not a law unto itself. Before and after 1791. The right to keep and bear arms has been inseparable from civic responsibility. Originally the duty to answer a call to carry arms. In defense of community or country. As part of militia service. Today. With 30,000 firearms. Deaths. The civic duty. Is to find ways for gun ownership and public safety. To better. Coexist. Yet the nra continues to act as if others have no responsibility to anyone but themselves. And their families. So far liberals and centrists have done more to adopt a reasonable position. The president of the brady campaign to prevent gun violence. Has lately begun to emphasize. But it except the supreme court ruling on the second amendment. Which also upheld longstanding prohibition. I'm gone ownership by felons. And the mentally ill. Bands in schools and government buildings. The nra has frightened lawmakers. Into giving your credibility. It does not deserve. Even after president obama. Try to start a dialog on gun violence last year stating. Quote. I believe that the second amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. Unquote. And urged its members to vote against. Mr. obama so that he could not. Try to deprive them of gun rights. Through supreme court. Appointment in his second term. Again. Control advocates. And gun rights supporters stop screaming at each other look for the common ground on how to deal with gun violence. The next massacre. Is only a matter of time. It was just 16 days ago now. Wendell owen assembly mentally disturbed young gunman by the name james holmes. Breast and body armor and a helmet. Stormed into a crowded late-night movie theater in aurora colorado an open fire with a military. Style assault weapon a fully operational machine gun. Loaded with a 100-round magazine. Would you legally purchase. Killing 12 people. Unix 58 many of whom remain in the hospital tenuously holding to life. This cruel and vicious crime committed for no apparent reason. Against innocent strangers. Has shocked and saddened our nation of course. And there's been much written and said about the senseless slaughter including at the highest levels of our government. Justice there is. Every time. Every time. Some mentally imbalanced loner in america gets his hands on an assault weapon and commits mass. Of course i must tell you it is not on my heart to be even the least bit koi polite or tentative about what i'm going to say this. As my rather blunt sermon title. Evidence. There is in my opinion an absolute cultural insanity afoot in america today. And that madness is the irrational love affair our culture has with guns and violence. It'll be almost total lack in most parts of our nation of any sensible. Rational gun control. This irrational and unacceptable relationship we have with guns leads to incredible unnecessary carnage. Each year in america you may not know more than 100,000 american men women and children. Are shot. Or killed with a gun. Gunsamerica annually caused the death of more than 30,000 citizens. Including scores of folks here on the treasure coast. 300000 men women and children that's half of the vietnam war's total each year. And more than 4,000 of these deaths each year. Are children under 19. We are sadly the most gun-toting gun-crazy people in the industrialized world. With a murder rate just for example. Not one two three or four times higher than canadian people. 65 times higher. And the canadian people are neighbors. I have only one essential point this morning so i might as well be out. Clear and concise now. The insanity of god news the resulting carnage in america is a preventable trash. Which we can and must change. We can and must change this by a concerted. Persistent and passionate citizen action. To transform and at the same inn. Same. At the same time in equal measure. Transform public attitudes. And public policies about guns. And their use. As a nation we can no longer tolerate the current state of affairs we have with god. Mooring the face of american life as it does. Within the current guidelines of the gun rights established by the 2nd amendment to the constitution as reaffirmed by the supreme court race. Play within those guidelines. And much more on that in a moment. We must have in this country a radical shift. In both our national thinking. And in legislation. All levels of government. About guns. And they're available. We must persuade. The vast majority of america the american people. That the current situation with guns liberation and violence in america. Is an unacceptable. It's unacceptable for us is a peep. As a people concern for the health and the safety and well-being of one another we must decide together. To establish and enforce. Text rick. Insubstantial gun-control and thereby and so much unnecessary sorrow and death. Now i realize that to a large extent i'm preaching to the choir the. Largest. Well there is no doubt some disagreement among us on this hot-button american issue which is why i've scheduled. Congregational conversation on this. So everyone has a chance to express their views and their perspective. Well there's no doubt some disagreement among us. In general. Unitarian universalist have is a faith group. Long and passionately advocated for gun control in america. Over the recent decades we have passed three general assembly resolutions general assembly is when we gather each year in june. 3 calling for substantial gun control in this country. And i suspect i need not spend a whole lot of time. Outlining and arguing the basic facts of destructiveness of guns in america but here is a brief. Summary of the situation. We find ourselves and it's necessary to understand where we are before we can look for the rights of. Because there are very few substantiv gun controls except in a handful of isolated. The jurisdictions like massachusetts new york city and. Columbia. Here in the united states we are a nation wash. And personally held. Deadly weapon. Although. There is some statistical discrepancies in disputes. It is estimated that there are presently more than 200 million. Privately owned guns in the united states. A majority of them you may not know are hunting weapons. Rifles and shotguns. Used for the most part. Wisely safely and responsibly by law-abiding citizens most especially in rural america. Where hunting and guns are. But there are also here in america today more than 65 million. Privately owned handguns out there in public circulation. In our homes. On our street. And in. Ar. About our person. Which of course the handgun is not on. In the design. But express in singular purpose of killing or at least threatening other person. A decade ago i myself was held up by gunpoint. By just such a weapon on a street near my home. And beyond these many millions of handguns in america there are. And this is where things really get crazy. Hundreds of thousands of military-style automatic assault weapons out there in private hands. Like the gun. Used. By the killer in aurora colorado to. Even the national rifle association the lobbying arm of gun manufacturers. Primary. Porter's. And retailers and. Gun-rights absolutist. Do not deny. Mid-america is a wash. In deadly weapon. The cannon do fall into the. This incredible four for clarification. Of guns in america is not an abstract. A problem for me personally. I was absolutely shocked during a recent christmas. Season visit to my extended family back in wisconsin. Went to pleasant when at a pleasant and noisy holiday party at one of my cousin's home. Milwaukee river. With the inevitable green bay packer game flaring in the background thank god for the packers. And dozens of kids and grandkids scurrying about the house one of my second cousin's a perfectly nice. And well-behaved fifteen-year-old boy. Was all of a sudden parading around the home brandishing a large semi-automatic handgun with a multiple round clip. That his parents might perfectly. Athene seeming cousin and his wife. I just given him. As a christmas gift. Under the christmas tree. My first reaction to the sudden presence of this instrument of death. At the hands of an adolescent boy. Was discomfort in fear. I worried with so many kids present about the damn thing being unwittingly loaded or somehow going off and killing or hurting somebody. And my adolescent relative was swinging the thing around like a toy clearly had not received proper training. About how to handle such a deadly weapon. Even. What we all assumed was unloaded. Once my roth fear and anxiety about being. In such close proximity to this deadly weapon subsided. My second reaction was a mixture of cultural sadness and personal incredulity. What could my cousin have been thinking. When he gave this child of his. This thing. How could my bright and generally responsible cousin neil. Play such a deadly weapon. In his own. Child. What possible constructive or acceptable purpose could this weapon have. In the life of a 15 year old boy. Don't his parents i wonder understand the manifold dangers of the. Vicious weapon. When i asked the boy what in heaven's name this gun was for he said it was to hunt. Wild boar in tennessee where he had some other family when he visits in the summer. But i grew up in wisconsin hunting and i know you don't hunt wild boar with a semi-automatic. Handgun. You shouldn't. This was not a real logical purpose for a concealable. Semi-automatic handgun. And i also sadly know plenty. About human nature and folly to fear that this gun. Play someday the accidentally or intentionally used. With tragic and powerful results. I was profoundly saddened. Set my own extended family of home i'm generally proud and i think they're pretty same people you know my my ewing. Plan. Has. Attitude. It would allow this to her. This incident caused me to realize that if my own family's attitudes and behaviors are any indication we americans. Are going to face a long slow hard road in order to change radically change. The place the guns have. Imsa life. Of our. Perhaps a little cultural history about guns in america is helpful. As i have already observed americans most particularly of course. Mail. Eva long and passionate affair love affair with guns. When you think about it having and carrying guns from the frontier days until now. Have been the quintessential expression of rugged individualism. So many american males have valued as a personality trait. If not a birthright. We all grew up watching movies and television were guns were constantly present both in the hands of the good guys and the bad guys. But a quick but interesting historical sidebar here we definitely think that in the good old days america every household had a gun but that is not true. The new york times recently reported it's a total myth. The most american families were armed in the 18th and 19th century. In the early days of our nation fewer than 5%. Of american homes. That's one and 20. Had a gun. Did you know that. 1. They were probably plenty of guns out in the wild west sure dodge city places like that. What is a nation. Guns were not that common. But nonetheless in recent american culture. Having and carrying a gun. As an individual citizen for non-military purposes. Is away i think of wordless lee saying hey look at me i can take care of myself. I will take care of myself. I'm not going to trust the government or the police or anyone else. To protect me and my family my gun. My kind of near the only security system. That i need. So when you combine this attitude of macho self-reliance. With the strain of anti-government paranoia. Which has always been in existence in the united states. That paranoia which receives the tacit support of the national rifle association. Which basically suggests that. Government is always trying to take away my gun and that will. Render me unable to defend myself against despotic government. That is. Cultural strain. In the argument of the nra and in this nation as a whole it somehow if we don't have guns. The government is. Let there be no mistaking the cultural reality. Let there be no political or spiritual illusions. Those of us in our society who want our governments. At all levels to pass laws imposing imposing substantiv gun. Control. For the safety and security are all we are in for a long and bitter political and cultural fight. Especially from the absolutist. And aggressive nra. Which has for at least a generation now. Struck such terror in the hearts of those in our elected congress. Who wants their support. Who want their money. Yes. Every time there was a bloody. And senseless massacre like that which just happened in aurora colorado. Public opinion shifts somewhat. Toward wanting. Increased. And real gun. But on the other side of the gun issue. They're the millions of lobbying dollars from gun interests not to mention. The persistent set of long-held american male attitude. It's about. Virtue of having a gun that i've already des. And of course standing at the very center of the gun control debate is the second amendment. To the united states constitution. With neither side in this national gun-control debate. Should or can dismiss or ignore. You may not know that there are actually two slightly different versions of the second amendment and here they are i'm going to project them up on the wall so that we can see them. As passed by the congress. It reads a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. What is ratified by the states it reads. A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state. The right of the people. To keep and bear arms. Shall not be infringed did you know these two different. Lightly. The difference here. This is a historical and legal curiosity. Hancock and constitutional scholars have long debated. The commons. Thomas the three commas. Arguing between themselves passionately whether or not the second amendment. Was intended by the founders. Solely to permit the states to gather and keep malicious. Armed militia. Or whether it was intended to both permit malicious. And the private ownership of guns. And we can take that down now. We're done with that. No. This american. Has personally long been of the opinion and it is just that. That the authors of the bill of rights were only addressing the issue of state militias. And not protecting the right of personal gun ownership. As the center to prevent handgun violence points out quote. When the us constitution as adopted each of the state had its own militia. A military force. Comprised of ordinary citizens serving as part-time soldiers. The militia was well-regulated. In the sense that its members were subject to various requirements. Such as training. Supplying their own firearms and engaging in military exercises away from home. It was a form they write a compulsory military service. The militia was not. As the gun lobby will often claim simply another word. For the populace at large. Us constitution that go on established a permanent professional army. Controlled by the federal government. And state militias were viewed as a counterbalance. To the federal army. And the second amendment they conclude was written to prevent the federal government. From disarming the state militias. And as conservative supreme court justice warren burger wrote in 1991. I'ma gun man he said. But the second amendment is the subject of one of the greatest pieces of fraud on the american public by a special interest group. Tried ever seen in my lifetime. The nra he said. Has misled the american people. The very language of the second amendment does not even remotely guarantee every person the constitutional right to have a saturday night special. Or a machine gun. Without any regulation whatever. And then he is. There is no support in the constitution. For the arguments that federal and state governments are powerless to regulate. The purchase and use. Of such firearms. So by my injustice burgers logic and i realize that the nra another passionate gun advocates argue the opposite. By my logic the author of the bill of rights. Wanted to ensure the right of. I've had they wanted. To ensure the right of private gun ownership. They would have expanded the wording of the second amendment to include a phrase like this. The right of people to privately keep and bear arms. Shall not be infringed. But they did not. Any such. But and this is a huge butt. For better or worse in 2000-2010 our supreme court in a narrow 5-4 decision. Little on conservative-liberal fault line. Stated that the second amendment does provide americans. The fundamental right. Do privately bear arms. Unconnected to militia service. A right they aren't they said that cannot be violated by state. And local laws. Justice samuel alito wrote one of the opinions of the dominant conservative on the court said. This is his opinion. It is clear that the framers. Counted the right to keep and bear arms among those fundamental rights. Necessary to our system of orderly liberty. The second amendment he went on for text. A personal right. To keep and bear arms. For lawful lawful purposes most noticeably. For self-defense. Within the home. No. As disconcerting and i think arbitrary and selective as this interpretation of the second amendment is to me. And two others who are sick about gun violence. It is very important to note. Set this narrow this narrow court decision. Is. Anna is is the law of the land but it did not. It did not strike down any federal state or local gun control laws. Currently on the books in united states all they said was in a district of columbia they could not outlaw guns.. But all the other regulations the supreme court left standing. The decision of the supreme court affirmed simply the overall principle. Of the right to individual gun ownership. Saying about other things that the government of the district of columbia could not totally prohibit them. Crucially. Then at this juncture in american history in jurisprudence. It remains for future federal courts. To sort out precisely how far. Gun control legislation at any level of government. Can go. Regulations like mental health. And criminal background checks. Gun registration requirements. Cooling law for waiting.. For gun purchases and ammunition purchases. Mandatory training. And lock requirements extended magazine and type of weapon limits and other gun-control measures. How far these things can go before they infringe upon the second. Amanda. That is what remains. Racine in the courts. I for one is a citizen deeply concerned about the escalating gun violence in our nation. Pray the future courts will understand. The practical and moral necessity. Not of banning all guns that argument apparently is over in ark. But for upholding. Reasonable. Gun control laws. Passed by local state and federal governments. To protect. Their citizens. From gunfire. For the foreseeable future because of that narrow supreme court majority. It looks like individual gun ownership is going to be a protected right. But that does not mean that we as a people cannot decide. By political and cultural consensus. To radically control and limit what kinds of guns are available. And how they are to be used and by whom. America right now is deeply divided about guns. We have so many hot-button issues. In this country that divided the country right down the middle and this is one of them. And i see no way around this cultural conflict. What is craig whitney wisely affirmed in the reading this morning. Set rev. Page shared with us. If we are to make any progress. Preventing senseless gun massacres like the one that just happened at that movie. Colorado. Advocates on both sides. This heated debate are going to have to back away. From their self-righteous and absolutist position. And look for that sensible middle ground. Where we americans will find a workable way to curb. These terrible massacre. The terrible amount of death. We have in homes. Guns are used by. Kids. Find them. It is my hope. That reasonable and civic-minded americans will at this juncture in our national history. Come to accept two equally important rules about guns in america to equally important intertwine. The guns. For better or worse. Apart. Permanent and pervasive part of our cultural landscape. And that the second amendment will probably continue to be interpreted. By the federal courts. To ensure the rights of individual americans. To keep and bear arms. And the other truth. Is it if we as a people are to live with one another with safety and sanity and security. We're going to have two together know how. To an end. If we're going to ever get to that place where we really have life. Liberty and the pursuit of happiness with one another. We must somehow move. Toward agreement. On rational and reasonable gun control. That will legally limit. The insane gun mayhem. Color street. And in our homes. Schools. Workplaces. And other public. No i'm a realist. And i have no illusion. But some of the partisans. On the extreme edges of this debate like the nra on the thundergun loving side and some of the more ardent gun-control groups on the other end of the spectrum. Who want to ban everything. That the extremist in the debate will refuse to ever can entertain the idea. America needs to move to the center on this issue. And accept. At the same time. Both gun rights. And gun control. Extremist will not live with these two ideas. Only the middle will live. With these. Two ideas. But i am powerfully persuaded the both sides in this debate. Are going to need as mr whitney suggested how to listen. And to respect. The legitimate arguments. Perspectives of their opponents. And work with one another to find that responsible middle ground. Where the lives of all americans can be. First and foremost on my sensible when i call centrist gun-control measures. Is a ban. An automatic large weapon military-style assault weapons like the one used in aurora to kill and wound almost a. Other sensible centrist gun-control measures. That we must now consider. Include many things that i've been. Background checks. Gun purchase waiting.. Registration training and lock requirements. Closing. Foolish gun show loophole. Limiting ammunition and magazine purchases. And other limiting restraints on the availability of deadly weapon. Today at the social justice table. We have multiple copies. 3. Online petitions you can sign if you go online taking those. King's home. Read some of these. Controls most especially the ban on assault weapons. So if you're interested in more information. There is some at. Social justice. I am an advocate. For all these gun-control measures which again i believe our father lee and reasonably. In the fatal owl and protect. Private gun ownership. But wound protector. Fall at the same time. Significantly protecting. The common good. Safety. I believe in these things because i'm a unitarian universalist. The first and guiding principle of our faith. Wild assertion. The inherent worth and dignity. It is the worth and dignity of persons. Our religion is devoted. 12 holding and honoring and protect. Guns. Of all types. Are all too frequently used in our nation to senselessly terminate the live. Innocent. Guns. Cruelly snuff out the inherent worth and dignity. Of all their victim. And wreak havoc. In our homes. And our neighborhoods. And our schools. So if we must have so many guns in america. And for better or worse that seems to be our cultural faith. If we must have so many guns. Then at least let it be with as many clear and sensible controls in place. To protect all of us together. This is a moral issue. Of profound importance to our nation. And i pray that all of you. Will lend your voices. But this isn't democracy. And the individual voice doesn't matter. Did you will lend all your voices. In this american dad. Speak up. For measured gun. And work with others of goodwill. And i say to you and mean. Every sunday at the first parish of concord massachusetts one of our oldest congregations they say this to one another in benediction. Go out into the world in peace. Have courage. Hold on to what is good. Return to know person. Strengthen the faint-hearted. Support the week. Help the suffering. Honor. All. Happy soul with.

uufvb_org

2012Jul29Sermon128.mp3

And so with the big smile on my face i come before you this morning. I'm as pete mentioned my name is rabbi michael birnholtz on the rabbi at temple beth shalom. I'm which up until about six years ago was the neighbor of the unitarian fellowship of vero beach and we were always wonderful neighbors. On and it was hard to see the unitarian. Fellowship moved from next door but we're glad that you guys have such a wonderful house here and we're glad to have all of those opportunities. Do we have to share moments as congregational communities together both. I'm in any other houses but also when we're out able it to out and be out in the community. It's okay. Without relationship in mind it's always exciting when i have an opportunity when i receive an invitation. To come and be part of your worship. On during the course of the year. Until i very much appreciate this invitation this opportunity. The stand before you this morning. One of the things if you saw the title of my sermon i'm going to be talking about journeys. Cuz there's a lot of wondering in life. And a lot of wandering in religious community. One of the things about judaism is it's a community it's a culture and it's a story of wonders even the even say that hot biru. One of those be foundational words for a hebrew. Came from abraham cuz he was such a wonder. And there's all kinds of wandering stories. In judaism you have the people of israel wandering through the wilderness for 40 years and all of david's trial. And adventures that he has in the book of samuel. The one of the. Wanderers that stands out to me that i wanted to speak with you. About this morning. Is jacob jacob is a fantastic wanderer and has quite an amazing journey. And it's the beginning of this our service i wanted to begin start at the beginning of his wandering. Because he has a powerful moment. He if you know the story of jacob he's born as a twin his twin brother's isan actually tries the police all back into the womb and he's born he's always trying to struggle and get ahead and that's what jacob means the name jacob. It means one on pooch pulls on his brothers ankle wants to get ahead of his brother doesn't want to be the younger brother. And so jacob and esau have a rivalry that goes on through their lives and at least on two occasions jacob season esau is hungry from being out in the field and he offers to sell the to i'll buy the birthright from esau for the sake of a little bit of red porridge red lentils. And so. Esau sells jacob the first right and then you have this whole episode with esau and esau's the older brother so he's supposed to get the parental blessing and jacob puts on an elaborate costume and goes and fools. Isaac. In front of the. Healing. Stealing borrowing skipping ahead there's all kinds of layers of commentary there but getting the parental blessing ahead of esau. Esau and jacob have this very tortured relationship very there's a lot of. Competition there's lots of conflict that goes throughout their relationship together. Find me isaac.. And when isaac dies jacob hears through his mother rebecca that esau wants to kill him. And one of the things that you tend to do when you hear that your brother is stronger and wants to kill you you run away. Sounds like good advice i have lots of nodding you like that strategy. And so jacob is running away he's heading off into the wilderness where we know if you know anything about three tails and anything about poor about bible all the good stuff happens. In the wilderness. And so jacob has off into the wilderness and he comes to a place in the sun is setting and he sets up camp. Any pulled some stones of that place together to make this is how quickly he leaves he doesn't even have a pillow we grab stones makes a pillow. He goes to sleep at night. In the midst of his sleep he has a dream. This fabulous dream of a stairway going up to heaven with angels going up and angels going down and he hears the voice of god adopt promises them all kinds of incredible things that god's going. Heroism the god is going to see him back to the land of his fathers that he's going to have well that he's going to find happy human relationships all of this wonderful stuff and he's going to get back to this land and he can look to the north and to the south into the east into the west and all of his descendants will be so many that they will fill the entire land. Jacob wakes up from that dream. And he says. How awesome is this place. God is in this place and i didn't know it this is bethel. Literally the house of god. And the stones that he had been sleeping on actually fuse because of the power of this experience and he takes them in steps in the teller and says this is bethel this is where i had this place. Then jacob do something very very. Jacob dances. I'm going off. And god you promised me all of this stuff but you're only going to be my god if you and they live. All of these things. Bring me back feed me close me keep me safe on and on and on. It's absolutely incredible than in the midst of this blessing from god. And this promises of protection. And if spiritual awakening that jacob has. But even then he's filled with uncertainty. He's filled with hope. He have the sperrys not sure what he's going to. See what he's hoping that god will be with him. And then heads off. That is where we are in our services morning. We are hearing and seeing this beautiful song and that image of that you can be happy if you have a smile. But this is a place where we can find the sacred. Where we can connect with a community. We have all of those hopes and those dreams and uncertainty and spears. Injustice jacob does we are sitting with them in this place and we are heading out hoping that we can have that experience of all. And so as we go forward in our service i offer to blessing. Two pieces of blessing. Blessings of departure. Heading out onto a journey. The first is from psalm 121. Finial harry may i am y'all do esri. Esri making model 9. I am i turn my eyes to the mountains. From where will my help come. My help comes from the lord maker of heaven and earth. God will not let your foot with way your guardian will not slumber. See the guardian of israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. The lord is your guardian the lord is your protection at your right hand. Distract the daewoo. By day the sun will not strike you nor the new moon by 9. God will guard you from all harm god will guard your life. God will guard your going out and you're coming in. Now. And forever. As we hear those words of psalm 121. As we hope we are protected in our going out into this morning and. Time of worship. I offer the very simple blessing. In the book of numbers. Eva ressecada nivesh maratha. May the holy one of blessing. Protect and bless us. You saw tonight pontiff left of the nfl. Need that presents fill up. Be with us phyllis with graciousness. Kindness. You saw it and i kind of left obvious someone kaushal them. As we are in prayer together. As we are in this space to go. As we journey forth together maybe feel the presence of something greater than ourselves. And that presents lead us to. Epomis. This summer has been one of adventures and excitement in my life and there are have been moments when i've found myself kind of like jacob. Things i didn't quite plan on and it was a trouble that my father got me and now that i think about it. When i it was stuck tough january february or so and i got one of those random calls my father is a rabbi in jet in jackson. But he's a rabbi in tampa. And they'll be times when you get calls from your parents right. Uncle call you to check on you to see how your family is doing to let them know what their family is doing well i got a call in the middle of the day on my remember correctly on my cell phone and was my father calling from his office. Almond calling with a request for me and usually don't get those kinds of calls i'm like okay. Is someone sick is something happen god forbid pupukea no horror and all of that. And it's my father and he has he's like i have a question for. What would you like what's the question death. Would you like to go hiking with the adventure rabbi. What. Will you know you talked about that adventure rabbi program there's a rabbi in colorado name is jamie korngold and she leads expeditions out. Sitting trips on the go hiking and do all kinds of spiritual moments from bar mitzvah and a boat onto a baby naming on top of the mountain all kinds of wild stuff. And he said would you like to go with me and go hiking for three days in the middle of may leaving your family on mother's day. As i said that's a great request for my father to go hiking with me and in colorado. Went home and i asked my wife jill i said how do you feel about this. My father and i had been hiking when i was 19. I'll me when hiking on the appalachian trail we've always had great memories of that trip and sewed lot talking with jello we realize there were opportunities that have that time with my dad are few and far between. Since we decided and got it all set up. I'm in in low and behold. Humans plan. And god laughs and my father was not able to go so i ended up going on the adventure rabbi trip. Right sense. By my father off into the wilderness with his assistant val by and his cancer. That was with his staff that i buy birnholtz junior was off into the wilderness. Now you have to realize that we live at sea level. K. I we talked about this in jewish world all the time i don't know about you use if you actually acknowledge we live in vero beach at or below sea level. The air is thicker here. In colorado there mi up. There's not as much air. Or at least oxygen in the air. More than that they have these things through mountains. You have to go up the mountains and down the mountain. My father actually called and said how did she suggest training she said do it on train on hills. I wanted to go to the top. Of the mural barber bridge and take a picture of your beach for her. So i was very uncertain about this and i did all sorts of hiking and walking around here with backpacks and manage this bring my ankle and rehab my ankle and all of this between february and may and went off. On this adventure. And it was very much an adventure it was a wonderful time. And we got all of our gear and i have to get i am my father's son i had to go to make sure i had the right shoes to two pairs of hiking shoes out with me cuz you don't know if you need the high tops for the low tops. My children help men's wife help me make a wonderful walking stick i had the the. The camelbak bladder for my backpack and ask my kids about backpacks and me i have three perfect ones. And seven ones and not picture about cuz i have to find the right backpack. So there i am outfitted. To not see a bear. There's all kinds of discussion that goes without. So i've got the the whole ankle rig the belt via the backpack in the hiking stick and off. We go on our adventure rabbi trip. And we start in the parking lot were in chautauqua nationalist takwa park which is in boulder colorado just a beautiful settings not a national park it's only at 5,000 ft. The barber bridge doesn't like prepare you for that. And i'm probably going to gold jamie took it easy on us knowing they're all or most of us were flatlanders and sedentary rabbi folks and we start out on our adventure and we go hiking. Up and we hiked for about 5 or 10 minutes and we stopped at a place very much like jacob that he stopped in a place and he checked out the rocks and he figured out the lay of the land and tried to get in touch with god in that place. And can i tell you in that moment i was huffing. Empathy. I wasn't sure what i had gotten myself into i wasn't sure if i was going to make it. Write that in that. First bedford stopping place jamie gave a chance we all got a chance with robert korngold to go around the circle get to know the seven or eight people that were hiking with us looking around the circle things you might not finish the week and wondering if we were going to be in that group. And just taking stock of why we had come on this adventure rabbi trip. And then we sent out off up the mountain again for 3 days of absolutely fantastic height. And there i was hiking. Huffing and puffing. And i realized i had gone from jacob jacob advisory advisory it's excuse me jacob when he is going out. And i move to a whole nother part of jacob's experiences ihop. And puff. Try with jacob for portion later. Invite usual off and he has now gone out to karen to this place where levon is his uncle and he. Met his got married as two wives and a couple of maidservants and he's gotten 12 children he's worked for 20-something years and he has lots of speckled and spotted flock. And now he is coming back to the land of canaan bring all of this back and who was he about to meet. It's about the music brother esau again. And i realized as i was huffing and puffing and struggling my way out these mountain. There was very much in that moment of jacob's life because this is the moment is he's coming back into the land that he. Goes down to sleep but he doesn't even get to sleep in the next thing he knows. He's wrestling with a man. The torah the bible tells us. And they wrestle back and they russell 4th and they go back and forth in their stuff that's kicked up and jacob says what is your name the others i can't tell you my name and jacob says can you bless me in the guy says i might be able to bless you when they go back and forth and back and forth. And finally jacob's hip. Is rent. Jacob's hip is wrenched in that moment and the guy says to him. Right now you're jacob your won his fight to keep pulling on your brother's ankle to get ahead of him. But you're going through a process you're going through a journey and experience in all of these challenges in this wrestling and soon you will be called. Yes trail. One raffles being divine and human and prevails. And then in that moment. When he finds out that he's going to become used to ill the other this man just disappears. And jacob acknowledges he's in this place he's moved from beth-el the house of god where he was the beginning of the string when he sent out he's now in a different place. He's at a place called penuel. Just now leaving the house of god now he has seen god face to face. Any survive. But. In the bud is quite important this but is quite incredible. The butt is. But now he is physically changed. Visit changes how we physically moves the world as he limps from place. The place. Now we have an important saying in jewish wife that humans planning god yell then god laughs. Yells laps all kinds of. And i cheerfully orchestrated my papers and pages so they would be ready for me at this point my sermon. And while i was talking over there they all fell down. So give me just a second. In our minds. We stopped and we see jacob. Limping away. As we. Are here on this morning. Now i'm struggling. Define mike by. Define my rhythm. And was we think about jacob leaving that place. I think about how i was huffing and puffing up that bills. It's a powerful moment to ask that question of ourselves. How do we. As we're on our journey. Because that's where all on our lights journey we have moments where we are vessels. Where the papers fall out from under. Where we get bad news where we get into a disagreement with something where things don't go the way we planned or what we had planned turns into more of a challenge. And we wrestle and we struggle and we face those challenges. And the question i asked this morning as well as we are in those moments. Oswego from place to place like jacob. Like i did on the adventure lb. How can we make our moments like jacob judd. Transformative. That they're more than just taxing our body and spirit wearing us out or distracting us or throwing us off for making us lose our patience. How can we turn those experiences into something that are really different. Jacob walked away moving physically different from moving in a different way physically from his wrestling match with god sing beans divine and human and prevailing and still limping away. How can we make sure those experiences in our lives as we move through this world. They do more than just where it's out. The thing actually give us an opportunity. 2 chainz. To stretch. To see sometimes more in ourselves and in the world. And. The answer i come back to is what i swear part of where i started which is with that breathing with that huffing and puffing. Andre haughton propped up that mountain. And i learned something this second opportunity i had i had a random. Interaction with a camp director. And he mentioned a biblical gardening. Experience. Biblical gardening opportunity to me. And i called up and soon i found myself part of the emir project in your project to something fabulous. Jewish camp counselors go to a training session. I'm just outside of gettysburg at a place called capital. In 44 days. Jewish camp counselors from 11 different camps learn how to set up a community garden at the camp. To run the garden with. Jewish values and then donate all of the produce for it some of it was used at a the kids do enjoy but most of it goes to a local food pantry. And so they're learning all about food justice and taking care of the earth. Well it was on that. Call in that workshop in that training session. I learned something very incredible and interesting about breath. I'm about that huffing and puffing. About jacob's wrestling back and forth. There's an important. Jewish concept. Call. Call popclaw. The first hugo really dig and expand. And then you come back in and contrack. And then you expand again. Just like her breathing in and out. And then gardening you talk about chloroplasts while all the time. Right how do you start a garden. You start with a c. And you put that seed into the ground and what does it do it starts. Expand you look and you start with a barren patch. Or grass whatever and you have to take it all apart. Make it expand alt and then you pull it together and form it and you put one seed in into seeds in and suddenly have all of these plans. And one little tomato seed. Can become how many different tomatoes. How many different opportunities to feed people. It was like that image and all of us have seen it. Telestrations. Where do you start in one lytle place. Write think of google images. If we put unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we could pull up the outside of this building. Right and what is on the side of of that image on google images you can stroll out. Further and further and we can go from this corner. To vero beach. The indian river county. And then the florida and then you have those images to take us further and further until we see the entire universe. Every time we breathe in and out we have that kind of experience. We take our breath in. We feel ourselves separating from the atmosphere. And then we breathe alton that are goes back into the greater whole. That we realized that's a basic part of our human experience. That we get a chance. Focus on something tiny just one little grain of sand yesterday i was on the beach. Can you pick up an individual shell and you look at that shell and then you place that she'll back and you see it's part of this wide expanse and broken shell is next to complete shell and you look out and realize that are 1,000. The preacher's millions and billions and trillions of creatures. Out in those waters. And that's part of that experience of that coughing and puffing. That's how do we acknowledge those special moments and make them not just. Toiling along the way but make them something different. And part of that is cloth talk lol. After realizing those moments of expansion. Traction. Expansion and feel ourselves focusing on the friday night. And then being ready to leap into that which is insulin. And letting ourselves go back. 4th in those times. The second piece that i offer is the significance of naming those places. In the story of jacob we see that he names the first place is bethel the house of god. And then the second he needs at 10:12 but he faced god. Places. In the bible when they places get name does not just a name the experience sometimes it's to give us itinerary. Something interesting happens in the book of numbers the people of israel have an itinerary that actually get a listing of 42 places. How many of you. When you are going on a trip like a nice long list of the places you go. Right. That you don't you're going to start go from miami to orlando to jacksonville to atlanta if i told you anything about the trip so far. Not a whole lot. Then you go from atlanta and you go to charleston and you going up the coast. 42 places. Get listed. And the rabbi say why. Is it just that itinerary. Why is it justice listing of the places going from play. The place to place with no details or information. As a rabbi stamps asked that question you get a number of different answers. But one of them i'd like to offer. See this morning. This is from a book by chef a gold. She writes 42 stops we're stages long the israelites lb. Are enumerated and named. Each stopping point on the journey holds a blessing for us. The baal shem tov. Music hasidic master. Remind us. Whatever happened to the people as a whole. Will happen. Each individual. All of the 42 journeys of the children of israel will occur to each person between the time he is born. And the time he dies. We recount the itinerary of our wanderings in order to receive the lessons. And blessings at each stage of our journey. As we become aware. The significance of each stage. We can receive its blessings and benefits. It's our awareness. And appreciation that transform our story. Into a blessing. The important thing is to remember each stage of the journey that will encounter some of obstacle resistance. However annoying or difficult or devastating that obstacle is. Its presence can call forth power that lies hit. Within us. The way in which the obstacle compels us to transform demonstrates the exact transformation arsenal mean. Birds growth. In fact the potential lies berries within its often requires the challenge in order to be released. And manifest. And in fact we see what these 42. Stops along the way. That there's one of those. Pieces. The reminds us that there's what name for god that's actually 42 letters long. And they're part of this teaching is that by saying those names we unlock. What is needed to figure out where we need to be on that journey. And so some of this is in polishing the. Finite in the infinity chat those places. Some of it is going through each of those places and remembering the significance of that moment that experience. And some of it. Is going allowing the journey to go for full circle. And seeing what happens when we get back again. When we talked about place names. I always thought when i was growing up that the wrestling was the big moment. Mike that serious he wrestles with. that sounds like a pretty big moment. And he's told that when he gets these going to get this name of the australian. What often gets missed is the end of the story the next phase of the story that jacob actually returns back. To beth-el. He comes back to the place. Didion earlier when he wrestles and he faces god where he's told and its future tense i will give you the name. You have to go a little bit further. He has to keep going on the journey and demonstrate what happened in that moment of wrestling is not where he's stuck is not worried stable. You have to keep going on his journey and keep growing and changing and transforming limping all the way. Until finally he returns to bethel he gets back to that place. Remember when i started our service i said he had all these hopes and dreams and fears and he wasn't sure what to expect. Injustice god is offering blessings he's asking for god's promises. We'll finally he comes full circle and gets back to that place. And he meets with god again and god gives him that name of israel and says that he will be ready to lead his people into a magnificent future rich and blessing. It should be no surprise given that jacob returned to beth-el and that's where he finally figured it out. But that's online journey was going to end. I started talking about huffing and puffing up hills. I've going around on this journey with the adventure rabbi. And we finished after three days of hiking and somewhere between fifteen and twenty miles. I was going back and forth and up and mountains and through crossroads and beautiful faces and moments of quiet and moments of noise. And we came back and we were finishing our last session. And we stopped in a little round place. In the rocks and we sat down and we caught our breath and everyone had their last drink of water. And then in that place. Rally korngold jamie asked us to look around and say did you recognize this place. I'm almost sure thing. not really it's real beautiful place she said that's where we started. She said look around really carefully do you remember being here. 3 days ago. And i will honestly tell you i'm not quite sure i did. It took a few minutes she said michael you sat there and joel you sat there telling us all the places. And i didn't even realize that i was there. And it was in that moment something very powerful. The here we've been talkin about and singing about cycle circle round for freedom or to everything turn turn turn. And we talked about the cycle of seasons in the cycles of life. But when i got back to that place. And rabbi korngold you said you recognized that place i realize something. From that jacob story very powerful. We don't just go inside. We don't just get back to the same place. When jacob returns the beth-el he is not the same jacob that had the dream that night. He's something different. He is spiraling up. He is moving in a different direction being shaped by each stuff. Even though he returns back to that place. Even though we go through our cycle of years and we celebrate our new years and birthdays and anniversaries and holidays. Each time we have a choice. We have something powerful we can do. We can either just go through those motions and go through and think i'm another year older and take stock of the eights in the pains in the challenges and how worn we are. Or we can do it jacob even limping what jacob. Or what i experienced on that hiking trip. With each step. With each expansion and contraction with each stage of our journey step-by-step that we go. We can find a way to stop a little bit higher. A little bit farther. Knowledge the changes. So that when we get to those places we are not just going into endless loop. But we are carrying ourselves. Underworld 2. These are the words of outlaw by alvin fine. Birth certificate and death is a destination. But life is a journey. Are going from stage to stage. From childhood to maturity and youth to age. From innocence to awareness and ignorance to knowing. Can foolishness to discretion and then perhaps the wisdom. Wake me up to strength or strength too weak. And often back again. From health to sickness and back we pray to health again. From athens to forgiveness. From loneliness to love. From joy to gratitude. From pain to compassion increased understanding. Comfier. To say. From defeat to defeat to defeat until looking backward or head we see the vicar eli's not at some high place along the way but in having maine denture nice stage-by-stage. It is my hope. On this morning as we go forth into the world. As we have time to enjoy this day as a community together. That we will find those sacred journey. Does opportunity. To stop. Trestle to struggle to work together. On both as a unitarian community but also a community that's in hand-in-hand with michael congregation. With our temple beth shalom. We'll find ways of walking together and working together to build world of shalom. Apple mexican.

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2013Aug25Sermon128.mp3

Good morning lazy hazy day of august welcome i'm glad all of you have chosen to be at the unitarian universalist fellowship of earpiece this morning begin what i hope will be a wonderful day for all of you. We were in the vulcan mind loving hearts and helping hand people seeking to become our best selves even as together we work. To make for a better world which is my topic today. Please know that you're welcome just as you come to us this morning. Whether you were younger role gay or straight black or white whether you are a perfect physical condition or struggling with various illnesses. Will you were feeling on top of the world this morning or down in the dumps or somewhere in between you are welcome just as you probably was. You're so pleased to see you. We hope we will find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. Will find something here this morning that nourishes your spirit and features your soul and gives you renewed energy. The living room light. The famous 20th century unitarian minister de paul davies who is marion wessels minister church of all soul he used to publish his sermons on the front page of the washington post on monday morning i come to church and look whether i was a preacher or not because i fall i must have my conscience sharpen sharpen until it goes me to the most thorough and responsible thinking of which i am capable. Story i'm going to share with you this morning to start floor by 20th century naturalist and philosopher doctor ron isley probably familiar to many of you and i hate using techniques story but. This morning because it's a useful tail the powerfully relates to my son. It seems that i actually found himself on the dreary and debris-filled beaches of costa belle france. Moment in his life. I was an inhumanly stripped skeleton without boys without hope wandering alone upon the shores of the world that's another human being. First-person account. I have caught a glimpse of what humanity maybe along and endless wave beaten costa. it began on the beaches of costa bell. I was inhumanly stripped skeleton without voice without hope. Wandering alone on the shores of the world. Uniden g restaurant i heard a woman say in costa bella my father reads a goose bowl. For the weather. Perhaps that is why i am finally found myself in pleasantville why all men are destined at some time to arrive there as i did. I concealed myself beneath a fisherman's cap and sunglasses so then i looked like everyone else on the beaches in costa belle which are littered with the degree of life. Strip of wet sand that mark the tide death walks hugely and in many forms. The sea their cast countless starfish. Assure. The rising sun shriveled there unprotected bodies. Nothing screams but the gall. And then the night torches bobbing like fireflies along the piece on the side that the professional starfish gatherers are there. 3d madness suites over the complete competing collective hurrying along with bundles of gathered starfish that will be slowly cooked and dissolved in the outdoor kennels provided by the resort hotel for the cleaning of specimens. They're historical. As the sound of the sea became heavier and more menacing i rounded a block into the full blast of the offshore wind. Long-lived starfish and everywhere. Rolling with the waves and tossed them as though showered down in the night sky. The sun behind me was pressing upward at the horizons rim animus redglare and tumbling blackness of the cloud ahead of me over the projecting point. Incredible perfection simmering into existence. Words with ft i discern human figure standing. As it seemed to me standing within the rainbow. He was gazing fixedly at something in the sand he stooped and flung the object beyond the breaking surf i labored another half-mile to oregon by the time i reached him kneeling again the rainbow had proceeded ahead of us. In the pool sand and silt is starfish and trust its arms up stiffly and was holding his body away from the stifling mud. Still alive. Yes. Over my head far out into the sea. It may live if the offshore pull is strong enough he said. Embarrassment for words i said to you collect shell. Only ones like this instead. Softly gesturing amidst the wreckage of the shore and only for the living. He stood together and skipped another star neatly across the water. He said throw well. One can help them. He looked fully at me with a fake question kindling in his eye. No i do not collect. Uncomfortable. Neither living nor the dead i gave it up long ago that is only the successful collector. I nodded and walked away leaving him there with the great rainbow ranging up the sky behind him. I turned as i neared abednego and saw him toss another star. Skillfully. Far over the ravening and tumultuous water. For a woman. For a moment and the changing light. The man appeared magnified. With the posture of a god. Put my cold world shriveling view. Begin it's inevitable. He is just a bad. Bringing my flock to rest. The star thrower. Is a man. And death is running more fleet. Then he. Beach. In the world. So this morning i continue my 2013 summer sermon series 7 serum ran over the summer months on the seven principles of our fake your they are today on the sick and second to last us.. Actually believe they might succeed. In creating heaven on earth they believe they might succeed in bringing what they called the kingdom of god down to human affairs. Since our very beginning has an american plays prediction. We have always been inclusive. Hopeful global thinkers 1970. We are unique. and uni personalist we see the unity of thing it's too bad the unity movement. Reese's world and humanity has one at 6. asian and goodness and creation peace for all the creatures including homosapien. We walk upon this beautiful earth. Alright so let's focus on the sixth principle. Justice. As i have already observed there are i hope it trust few in our culture who would howard lee disagree with this high and hopeful goal that human enterprise surely this is a good dream that everyone can have but. Complicated and these conflicted global time surely would accuse us as a liberal faith condition of being hopelessly idealistic for even suggesting. The such a perfect world is possible. Indeed there is justice in the careful wording of this principle that we ourselves that we are realize that such an ideal world community may attack never be achieved as i'm sure you will notice this carefully-worded principal begin we have. The goal. The goal. A world filled with peace. And liberty and justice for all the jose next week we're going to establish if it says we have the goal. Which implies that even we optimist about the human enterprise. Realize that such a good and noble inhumane world order may in some measure forever lunas. And surely we have to admit in these troubled early years is 21st century that a great deal of evidence about what kind of world is possible to commanding. Lies not with the optimist but with the skeptics. Cenex. I mean let's face it anybody would even a passing familiarity about the state of our fractured world of day will have to admit that humanity is a farrier. Very very long way from achieving a global order for peace liberty and justice is known by all i mean how does one even begin to catalog all the way so far. Repeatedly failed to even achieve symbols that indeed many more conservative religious traditions. Brewster beginnings have postulated the power and the pervasiveness of human weakness in medieval war conservative the eternally flawed reality of human nature and society no such good world. I do have real and persistent doubts about the viability of this wildly idealistic principle. And good for us is faith tradition sec necessary. For us to have spiritually the goal of a near-perfect world and more on that in a moment as long as we realize that that goal given the vast and persistent vagaries and failures human being and the society will probably forever elude us. Julian one part of the realistic frustration here is our awareness of the inherent difficulty of human society and human government government. Right now the summer 2013 here face the fact that human beings and many nations communities and religions and region are having a terrible time governing their affairs in ways the shore justice. Not to mention. Let me give just a few painful example near too far. Let's begin right here. As you all know right where the treasure coast we aren't community facing severe and spiraling environmental crisis with human-caused nutrient pollution following fragile ecosystem of our indian river lagoon pollution. The science of the collage master is mostly clear. Run on the expanded use of firemen lawn fertilizer much of which flows into lagoon man-made. Drainage canals and sugar industries antiquated grandfathered septic system all up and down the waterway. Have caused. Lowe's of growth of toxic organisms in the river. Poisoned the water kill value species other thing david nolte. Local state and regional politicians governor scott and washington down to our county commissioner. How to date proven himself. Largely unwilling or unable to take out the county commission's final to snow. To provide the leadership to put the common-sense affordable regulations in effect to reverse and control the problem. And so even though we as rational creatures in this beautiful part of the world do precisely what to do to save our area's most treasured natural resource for ourselves and our grandchildren are lagoon is still being allowed to slowly die. Watching local and state and regional leaders biological past the papa. Unsolvable local problem does not instill much confidence in the overall human ability to govern ourselves. The idea that government is always wrong we need strong government for some things if i see one more bumper sticker that says i love my country it's my government i hate i'm going to scream government is good and government is up and government is rational. Simile. For several years now in the national level in the united states are political parties. Ourselves totally and cable. Wisely justly and humanely. Managing the affairs of this people's republic. By almost any measure there is today an almost total and frequently your rational and unnecessary dysfunction in washington dc. Congress and the white house and supreme court seemingly unable or unwilling to exactly work for the common good whether you are talking about universal healthcare for all american food housing and education support for the poor. Silly old ideologies instead of rolling up their sleeves and working together to build a common elevation for all there is a profound feeling. Right now things are still getting worse. America is in danger of losing. Not to mention his standing in the world that's a great and humane. Information. And there is a failure of so many other nations and clusters of nations around the world marked by these values. In so many places in the world. Most noticeably right now in the middle east and africa. Struggling nations are rap. Violet. Economic and social disorder. Harold's in syria. The latest tragic example. Last week is poison gas. Thousand. Innocent. Women and children. Reading the international section of the new york times every morning has become for me something of the exercising. Depression. When somebody places in our world humanity seems systemically incapable of ordering its affairs. Inhumane. Peaceable. Seems so very far. New york time. Wildlife in some parts of the globe is peaceable justin humane like much of northern europe right now for example. Far too much of the world is tormented. Violence poverty depression. Injustice. Edison all his time there was a systemic failure of the world community of nation. Define viable ways to address the interconnected global human environmental concerns and pay no attention to the boundaries drawn on the map. Global climate change and destruction of natural habitat suppressing examples. Where is two decades. Global scientist have been urgently telling global political leaders. All the nation. Find ways to cooperate collaborate with one another. Established enforceable global agreements regulations and the strength to preserve this planet long-term environmental viability. And yet despite the urgency and clarity of this problem. Global community of nations least until now. Goebbels totally failed to take any real or binding environmental actions capable of ensuring. That this planet will remain habitable home for all of it. Surviving species. Try as hard as they have. International environmental organizations and international summit. Smartest and most committed people on the planet. Have largely proven unable to date. To help humanity operate across national borders in raisinville. Allow the sustainability of our planet. And what is true in the environmental sphere is also true in the spheres of international relations. As a rule on panama stations have not yet learned how to systematically cooperate with one another and solving problems and challenges this year. Species. Homosapiens are not doing very well with rationally cooperating with one another. Was it good. No honestly i did not set out this morning just single-handedly depressing. Quotes about the rather sad sad state of global affairs or the seemingly limited potential. For real human progress in so many areas but i must admit that just by taking. What i think. Varnished humanities failure to establish world order like that. I haven't sex. Hey there's some left oblique picture. As one unitarian-universalist steeped as i am in the optimistic faith tradition. There is always believed in the human potential for mobility of wisdom. I will admit that looking. Troublesome reality of human nature and the rather torture trajectory of human history i honestly do not believe. But the truth. Very good one. Is almost certainly unattainable. Must not of course. As a people of faith and hope. From being committed both individually and together to working for world not a perfect. What a world with more peas. More diggity. More liberty more justice more humanity and hope. The world fractured world we have. Enterprise will in all likelihood eternally stumble ahead. With heartbreaking measures. War and violence and cruelty in equality and justice oppression failures and individual. Does not mean that we know that isn't here all of this does not mean. Then we must forever can abandon our faiths. Predictions commitment. Over and over again to try to stumble toward that for. That is why i find laura knisley's star-thrower story which i read you earlier. Spiritual emotional houston. I love that hopeful image. Solitary but purposeful. Human individual walking a debris-filled death filled beach. On a stormy day patiently picking up. Beautiful fragile stranded starfish one-time along thousands. And picking them up again. Add to calendar gannon tossing them gently back into the sea where they have a chance to live and starfish. I would point out that this true story. Life is not about the hapless image of a diamond tail vehicle. Tilting at windmills he has no chance of defeating. Image of principled and caring human being. Taking the side of life even when the odds against that life are great taking the sign of life that is what our tradition is also about life saying you this morning. Does the even in the world has trouble as i. Lennar unitarian-universalist goal of a world community. Piece of liberty and justice for all seems too far-fetched an unrealistic dream. We still must again. And again and again choose to stand on the side of life. And faithfully do the hard and on glorious unglamorous work. Creating more peace. More liberty and more justice and dignity with other people could face. It's so even though i would regard myself a tough-minded realist when it comes. Do all things human. And even though i am regularly heartbroken and disappointed by human failure and society. Failure. I still stand behind. This sixth principle. Bars with pool. Heart. And mine. It is spiritually right and put a desk the spiritually wise. For us unitarian universalist to keep center of our faith. The unlikely goal. Open goodworld. Like isley's improbable yet impassioned star-thrower. I'mma start features of costa bell. We must continue each of us as we gather to lynn. What author called are stubborn few ounces. Do the work of building.. Butterfly. At 1. This unitarian-universalist bleed all my heart. All my body. If i joining together with countless other zapopan goodwill around the spinning globe. We can build a world. Worth having. A world. Not a perfect. But up sufficient fees. A world of sufficient. Liberty. World of substantial justice. Good. Hannibal world. Every last man woman and child. Someday be able to call. Send you on your way with these words of george.. The most necessary of all faiths is faith in ourselves. Mount fuji. The real human beings will always be wise where we are often foolish. Buffets that we are at are at our best capable of wisdom. And if you can be taught to be wiser than we are not things that we will always be good. For we are sometimes wicked. But they could be inspired to greater goodness. And greater compassion. Nothing. So we will always be strong or brave for the best of us are off in the week. Buffets that we are capable of strength. In all our potentiality. Helms. Not faded. A wise. Or good for brave horse drive. Capable of becoming wise enough. Brave enough. Headstrong. Enough. Habitable world. Go in peace.

uufvb_org

2011Feb27Sermon128.mp3

On this pastoral care sunday when we dedicate the small group of volunteers who help do this work in our congregation. I want to explore the broader question of what it takes for any of us to minister effectively. What it takes for anyone of us to provide essential human care. To someone we know who is facing. One of life's more difficult moments. One of the most obvious and unwelcome truth about life is it sooner or later people close to us dear to us. People to whom we are connected and for whom we care. B a spouse family member. Neighbor. Coworker fellow congregation member or friend. Inevitably someone will experience some painful dislocating life crisis in their lives. Whether it's someone you know or love. Suddenly facing a life-threatening illness or. Suffering a terrible grief from losing someone close to them. Or getting swept up in the confusion and self-doubt that results. Her painful. Lost like a divorce or losing a job. Or someone struggling to cope with depression self-doubt. Or some other form of mental suffering. Many. Are the life situations that caused people close to us to experience fear anxiety despair. And suffering. Atlantic times which again are inevitable. Even if you're extremely lucky. Those of us whose lives intersect with the one who suffers our challenge. To respond and helpful healing inhumane ways. To be in a human community which we all are. Means that we are challenged to minister to others. And do what we can to lessen the pain in the sorrow that they feel. And if you're like me. Watching someone else suffer through a painful crisis is almost worse than suffering it oneself. There's almost always a terrible feeling of helplessness. This empowerment and inadequacy. When we have to watch someone for whom we care struggling when we can't. Somehow fix the problem. Or make it go away we feel so inadequate. Let me just give one painful example from my own life if i might. A couple of years ago one of my dearest friends in the whole world paul gordon was his name. A cycling buddy and friend of mine for whom i've been close to decade. Was diagnosed just passed his 60th birthday with a terribly aggressive cancer. Which began as a malignant tumor attached to the upper part of his spine. And soon spread throughout his body. Like all of his family and friends i had to watch as month-by-month the spreading cancer. Steadily rob paul who was a capable veterinarian. Father athlete and husband. Watch. The cancer robbed him of his once robust. And joyous life. Towards a painful and that's the part. Of the story i want to focus on this morning toward the painful and which was prolonged because he was strong as a bull. All that i am the rest of those who love paul could do was visit. Care for him and his wife debbie at his bedside. As a cancer just marched on through his body. Narrowing paul's life to a mere trickle. There were always. In that 5-month.. 2 or 3. Or four of us in the house. Preparing food cleaning the house debbie was never much of a house cleaner. And just sitting by paul's bedside. We all wish there was something more to do you know to somehow one of us would find the right doctor at sloan-kettering or find the treatment that would somehow reverse the course of the disease. Or find some way to take away his physical pain and limitations. Be able to share some sort of hopeful message for paul even about the rest of his life on earth. But none of that of course was possible especially because. For paul ever the rational scientist. He did not believe there was any sort of life waiting for him beyond these days on earth. All we could do we who loved him. What's the stand the night long the long night watch with him. And offer him our faithful presence and our love. Which so frequently felt so inadequate so feeble so useless we all doubted that our presence. And that is the central reality about being around other people suffering. Almost always we were standing by in love. Cannot fix. The situation. We can't take away. Floss. No matter how deeply we wish we could somehow. Just suddenly alter the tragic fact. We cannot. And this is the one thing that i said. The pastoral care team when we began work this summer. I said your job is pastoral caregivers it's not to try to fix things or to magically remove. The suffering and sorrow that is not with pastor cares about. Your job is simply to attend to the moment. To stand by to refuse. As the reading. From marc's ad refuse to fall asleep. Disciples. Usually without the assurance. But everything is going to work out for the best. Because. It's seldom.. And this of course is not easy i have never met anyone who did not find. Standing the night watch are being close to someone else's pain. Didn't find that a terribly just comforting thing. Even though i have been a professional minister for almost 40 years though i have never been able to develop emotional immunity. To the collateral sorrow and sadness i feel when i'm in the presence of someone. I was suffering through a horrible set. And i expect that all of you. Are similarly hardwired as human beings that you are too emotionally vulnerable. The pain of others. This of course is as it should be. 42 being empathetic human being and let's talk more about empathy as a spiritual practice in 2 weeks to sundays from today. Being an episode of human being means that we can and do feel. What others. And we are never entirely successful of insulating ourselves emotionally. When were in the presence of someone else's. Pain it's just a. But our empathy with the pain of others as valuable as it is to us because it. Motivates us to compassionately reach out. But our empathy has a downside. And the downside is that when we. Experience empathetically the pain of others. We naturally want as i've already too said to. To alleviate the problem 2270 remedy at to fix it. But we can't remedy such. Things we can't. And. This leads to a feeling of inadequacy and those feelings the awkward anxious and adequate ones. Sometimes 10 to make us flee. From the situation. Avoid the person. Who is suffering deny the reality of what is happening all together. Many times people have said to me about it when they come to see me about i don't know what to do my friend is dying of cancer. They say i don't if i go and i don't know what to say. So often paradoxically it is our empathy which leads us. To run away. Emotionally or with our actual feet. The same thing happens sometimes when someone loses their spouse of many years. Couples who have known the couple. Find it hard to invite the surviving spouse to dinner they don't know what. To say. So they isolate. The surviving spouse without ever. Meaning to. We are scared by the sad intensity of others pain and sometimes we. And it is precisely here. Where i believe the answer to the question that i've posed this morning how do we effectively minister to people just precisely here where the answer lies. The answer is ever and always you minister to people simply by being present. By refusing to fall asleep by refusing to flee by hanging in there even when you don't know what to say and do. Woody allen said. 90% of life is showing up. And that's. True most especially. In these situations. Just before the sermon ellen and and paul. Read these two ancient stories. The job story. And the story. Jesus in the garden. They're a perfect representation of what i'm saying. Joe boccardi's his friends sad for seven days and seven nights at didn't try to say anything. They didn't try to fix it they didn't say well you know everything works out for the best road i mean you don't have you don't have a house payment anymore. They didn't say any of that. And. The new testament story the story of jesus in the garden. Buy shadow example makes the same point all jesus. I just disciples. Stay awake with me please just stay awake and three times not one not two three times. They fell asleep. And by falling asleep they magnified. His sorrow greatly. By the shadowood negative example the story speaks with powerful clarity about how we have to strive to be with others. When they're suffering. First. Or mostly just. To be there. And that means mentally being there means staying awake. The great. Gif. That we have. Is the gift. Of the fully present self the attentive self. This is the first rule of ministry. For me who has the title reverend in front of my name and for all of you who don't have any professional training and how'd it go be with somebody in a hospital or nursing home or after they've had a terrible. Accident. All you really have to do the first thing you have to do is stay awake and be there. I was in the garden. When my good friend paul lay slowly dying in his home with his wife and his children. What is side. And i'm so grateful that. The wide circle of people around paul and debbie we knew what to do. We didn't offer paul any answers we just stayed there. Or day. After. After month. We did not offer him rosie platitudes. Theological assurance. We did not fill the room with idle chatter. So nobody would have to face what was happening. We simply. Stayed awake. And we held him. That community dead in a circle of love. Without a word. Being sad we held him. In a circle. Of love. And there is nothing fancy. Or esoteric. Or sophisticated about this. Anyone can do this. We are all capable showing up. We are all capable. Spending. The lawn. Night. Watch. And we. Problem is. That we distrust. That this. Is enough. Ours is a technocratic / professionalized fix-it kind of culture americans want to fix everything. Heckmotor fix libya right now well it's not for us to fix. We've been indoctrinated since childhood with the idea that no matter how grave a human problem. If we americans just bring enough. Technological and intellectual resources to bear we can rationally fix. But that's not the way. The world. Works. This is why. When a dear old friend of yours suddenly loses her beloved husband of 55 years or a child. Or your favorite cousin is diagnosed with lou gehrig's disease. Or close colleague at work suffers a miscarriage in the seven months of her pregnancy. You instinctively want to rush in and somehow cleverly rectify or fix or alleviate the situation or say. Just that right. Well there's no just right thing to say. In fact you'll probably say the wrong thing. We all do. What's important. Is that weird. Becoming totally comfortable with the idea that it is our presence. As opposed to offering some sort of product. For the person who suffers it makes all the difference in the world it's simply. Are human presents just to be there. You know there's a slight you know the old slogan don't don't just stand there do something well when it comes to pastoral care the reverse bumper sticker on it beyond your car. Don't just do something. Stander. Don't just do something. Bender. Stay there. Stay awake. Without fixing. Anyting. Without offering. Any. Answers. Let me come at this from a slightly different angle. Unitarian universalist i suppose roman catholics and episcopal to the same way and jews and hindus and. We have terrible theological self-esteem. We routinely doubt the power and the beauty of our and the grace of our simple presents we doubt it. We think we have to have something more. We we just doubt that it's enough just to be there. But really we must not dismiss we must trust. The idea. The healing medicine. That is ourselves. Is enough we are enough of a healing. Medicine. And we don't need years of specialized training as a pastoral counselor. Before we can make all the difference in the world when someone's life is swept into pay we simply have to get in the car. Or pick up the phone. And go there. Day. Present. I can't tell you how many times somebody said to me. My best friend is dying of cancer but i haven't been in the hospital cuz i don't know what to say. And i always say to them. Don't say anything. You don't have to say. And if you say something it could be stupid. Go ahead and get used to the idea that you'll say something that is wrong don't worry about that just go. Just go speak with your presents. Not with your. Speak. With your. Speak with your heart. Trust. That you next to the bed. With a hand and there's. Is all. That is needed. There's an old eastern legend which says that the gods. Became jealous of humanity. And they were fearful that the gift of divinity would be stolen by men and women. Until all the guys got together they had a council. And they said. Where can we hide the gift of divinity from humanity. And one god said. Let us place our gift in the skies but they say oh no that humanity will someday fly we can't put got the divinity in the sky. Another said let's put our gift of divinity in the depths of the ocean but the reply was now the humanity will develop submarines and they'll find it. Bill plumb the depths of the ocean. Finally the wisest of the god said. I know that's hide divinity within them they'll never. It's the last place they will look. It's the last place we were. It's the last form of divinity we trust. That which is already within us. There is great truth in. We need to start trusting. A divinity does breathe and live through us. It is comes around 11 or simplehuman present. And we don't need anything fancy. To bring. God. To our lives. And to the lives of others. Unitarian universalist poet may sarton. Who lived in maine and died there actual. Was with her own mother as death approached. And she affirms in her poem a hard death. That sense of natural divinity which comes alive when we're simply present with one another listen to me sartin. God's grace. Freely given we do not deserve. Or we can choose at least to see its ghost on every face. Or we can wish to serve each other gently as we live. So lost. We cannot save. Be safe. But we can stand before each presents with gentle hand and heart. Here in this place in this time without belief. Keep the channels open to each other's grief. Never accept a death or life as strain. To its essence but at each second be aware how god. Is moving always through each flower. From birth to death. In a multiple gesture of epic nation. And when the petals fall. Satyrs beautiful. And good say. It is well. And then she hands. Let us be gentle. To each other in the brief. Time. Are we still die in exile far from home. Where even the flowers. Can no longer save. Only the living. Can be healed. Bye love. Only the living. Can be healed by love. All that we need to do. To be with one another through all of life's sorrows. And sadnesses. To be there. Fully present. Unafraid. Willing to trust. The holiness. Of the gift. Of ourselves.

uufvb_org

2014Aug03Sermon128.mp3

Welcome to the unitarian universalist. Fellowship of vero beach. My name is paul lamoureux i'm a member of this congregation. And today i am the apprentice pulpit host. I want to welcome all of you who come here and all your particularities. Whether you are down in the dumps. On top of the world or somewhere in between. Whether you're black or white or some other wonders shade of humanity. Welcome. Welcome. To our fellowship. As well but not quite as painfully as cindy so i'm just going to speak the words of probably the most celebrated chant or mantra in tibetan buddhism which is omani padme home and all miz as we talked about last week still the essential sound of the universe really the mystery contained in the whole universe whole body if you will money is jewel and the jewel is referring to our inner self the part of us the awakener of soul consciousness humne is the flower the lotus flower the mystery of the all. The vibrations of energy. That we send out around us so omani padme home is generally translated as the jewel. In elotes. Money. Cognitive home. Carol and i. I practice buddhist meditation for a few years. We started by attending a saturday morning meditation practice. Where we meditated for 30 minutes and then listened to election. A dharma talk. I'm buddhism. The dharma talk lectures changed every week and dealt with various aspects of buddhism. We learned about the four noble truths. The eightfold path. The three jewels. Karma. Nirvana the sutras. Many other aspects of buddhism. We studied various buddhist teachers. Pema chodron. Tick not han. And of course the dalai lama. We met many people who devoted themselves to being buddhist. But for us what was most meaningful. Was learning up to spiritual practices in buddhism. Ethical behavior. And buddhist meditation. Ethical behavior was nothing more than. Our actions. Our words are thoughts. To put it another way. Our karma. Buddhist teachings stress at the intentions that drive your actions are more important. And the actions themselves. If you act with disapproval or disgust. You'll experience negative results in the future. If you act with love. You'll experience a positive outcome. The karmic law of cause and effect. But meditation. Can you hear me. Okay. Flower okay. In popular thought. Buddhism is definitely the religion of meditation. After all who hasn't seen a statue of buddha. Sitting cross-legged. Eyes half-closed immersed in spiritual. Reflection. But for us. Carolyn me. Meditation allows us to focus our heart and mind. On mindfulness. And loving kindness. Meditation helps us relieve anxiety and stress. And it eases our monkey mind. Meditation helps our concentration. Are mental alertness and emotional control. It has helped us to slow down. And take each moment. As of commerce. Meditation has helped us get past negative thought patterns. And conditioning and reach a more beneficial productive state of mind. One that gives us contentment. Patience. Loving kindness. Compassion. And wisdom. Meditation gives us a tool. To better deal with anger. It offers us a sense of stability and balance. That external circumstances can't readily destroy. We don't meditate every day. But when we do it is usually for no more than 30 minutes. We got comfortable tell ourselves to be still. Be still. Please. We concentrate on a spot a few feet in front of us and slower breaths and count it. 1 in. 2 hours and so on. And in the beginning our minds would wander wildly. That's what we called monkey mind. We would have. Bring our thoughts back to the present. Continue to count our breath. And the more time we meditated. The less time we had monkey mind. We look forward to our meditations. We enjoy them. And hope you will also engage. In the buddhist meditation practice. Thank you. One of my. More remarkable and deeply treasured experiences. When's the gift of being in the presence of his holiness the dalai lama. Some years ago i sent several feet away from him. When we spoke to a few hundred of us for a couple of hours. All of us had been instructed to arrive early. Giving time to prepare and center ourselves for this encounter. I was open. And had few expectations only that it would likely be. Pleasant. I'm positive. The current dalai lama living in exile from his mountain kingdom of tibet. For almost 55 years. Is regarded as the 14th incarnation of avalor peaches florida. Compassionate buddha. Well he walked into the room. Crinkle cut his whole face into a smile. And i immediately started to cry. I cried for the next 10 minutes as i watched him take us in. And get his bearings. I can't tell you why i cried. Only that i did. And i cried when he bowed. And smiled at the end. With his shaved head. And wrinkled up face. He looked. Like a beautiful baby. Just coming into contact. With the world. When he laughed which he did liberally. His entire face participated. And tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. He offered us his complete. And total. Happy absorption. In the very moment. After a gentle and yet direct critique of our country. Have a nice place to make money but not a nice place to die. And our time. As one of war. And violence. He turned. His great and comprehensive mind and two issues of ethics and the purpose of life. He argued that all ethics secular. Or religious. Must be grounded in basic. Human values. An open mind. A warm heart imbued with caring. And a commitment to doing no harm. He stressed that hatred. Jealousy and other negative emotions and state. Create harm for others. And for oneself. He argued that it is in one's own interest to consider the implications of one's actions as well as others needs and interests. The human compassion is and will be. The basis of our survival. He took questions. Engaged in dialogue with us. Sometimes spoken english. And sometimes. In tibetan. And then when he was finished. He smiled simply and said. That's it. Bye-bye. Clear as crystal to the end. And i felt blessed. This morning i am using with you about the personal gifts i have received. From buddhism. And i can think of no better place to begin and with the buddhist understanding of the importance of compassion. Or the poly word. Karuna. What is a concept that lives at the heart of buddhist understanding. It is a misconception. Really to associate the words. Enlightenment or nirvana. As somehow the end goal. A buddhism. If you think of this is simply sitting illuminated in a lotus position somewhere apart from the world that just isn't. The heart of it that doesn't go far enough. So i've i'd like to share with you a passage. From one of my favorite buddhist riders jerry larkin. This is from her book the chocolate cake sutra. And she right now she at the time had a. Buddhist center. She's no longer they are but. You'll need to know that to follow the passage. She says experience has taught me that enlightenment has become an empty word. It means whatever the call her or email her or person at the door wants it to mean. To even engage in the conversation about it is harmful to both of us. Every week it seems that someone is emailing me. With this question. I'm always surprised that they don't ask me about my training instead or how long i've been at this. One time there was an email that came in at 4:40 a.m.. The writer had been reading about buddhism for a couple of years and wanted to start practicing. He was looking for a sangha community where he could feel at home. First do a question. How many people at stillpoint are enlightened. I responded. Well there's neptune the abbey cat. He didn't write back. I hadn't given him the headcount he wanted. If i told him that everyone it's still point is enlightened. He never have believed me. But they are. Some people just don't know it and are stumbling the way i did the way i do. Some have a sense of awakeness but still don't trust it. Some just plain glow-in-the-dark. Their spiritual energy is palpable. I didn't say any of this in the email. He was asking the wrong question. If he asked me. How we all live with the dreck that comes at us every day. Then we could talk. The word enlightened is too far away from how i live my life. I don't even know how to think about it anymore. Instead i've learned the hard way that for those of us determined to measure our progress on the spiritual path. A more helpful test. Is to ask ourselves a simple question. Is everything. And everyone. Precious. And then if we must have extra points out of high school we can ask ourselves. Is everyone. And everything. Holy. If the answer is anything but of course. We have work to do. The sands my. Inserted reading. One of the very first steps. On the path to. Enlightenment. Is to do good to others. Karina involves the right attitude toward those who are suffering. And that includes oneself. Entertaining enlightenment should result. Ingrate. Compassion. In the deepest level of concern for all living creatures. Karina has been described as. The quivering of the heart. In response. To another's suffering. In buddhism one of the. So called heavenly abodes is called jamba juice. Apple rose island. Which is a heart. Of suffering in the world. If we are in that place. Which we can only get to by sitting still in silence. We feel. The most connected to all kinds of suffering. And we have no fear. Of suffering. We know. We understand the reality of pain and suffering. Rather than resisting it. Our energy can go into transforming it. This is the place. We're all of the great buddhas and ancestors live. All of them are there. Just waiting for us. Wanting us to join them in the center for a while. Help them hold. The balance in the place of suffering. When i think about the great buddha's the great souls. Sitting there sending out love and compassion in the face of suffering. Well just remembering that strengthens my resolve to at least spend a few minutes a day. Joining them. In prayer. And meditation. There are of course many different meditative disciplines offered by the world's great religions. But my life of practice was formed within buddhism. I've been a student of buddhism for more than 30 years and. Have identified myself as a buddhist unitarian universalist. I took leo gordon and vows with vietnamese buddhist. Master. Check not han in 1989. Taking refuge in what we call the three jewels the buddha dharma and sangha. And committing myself to the five basic precepts or training rules. To refrain from taking life. From stealing. From sexual misconduct. From false speech. And from intoxicating drugs. And then in 1999 10 years later i participated. In the formal process called jukai. Receiving more precepts. And deepening my commitments. Jakai is considered lay ordination. And involves a lengthy process of study. Reflection and action. And once one has received jakai. The rock's who is warren whenever sitting informal meditation. Or in a teaching situation. What you might ask is a rock sue. Well. During the time when buddhism was traveling to china it was. Illegal was not. It was frowned upon and so the monks instead of wearing their usual robes. The monks develop this thing called a rock sue. Which they would hide underneath their clothing and it was considered a miniature row. Sew-in in my tradition. We make our roxas. And there are many different. Traditions that do it differently but in in mine. All of the pieces that go into the rock sue are begged 4th they are considered to be scraps of material it's not you don't go out to. Joanne and and buy your material. You either find them or you ask somebody for them. And every stitch in this it's his set design every stitch in this was done by me. By hand. And we pray as weird as we are doing the stitches. And i would love to tell you about each piece but given that we are unitarian-universalist i particularly want to tell you about a few. Some of you will know that carolyn mcdade. Who we sing spirit of life practically every week. Carolyn spend a year traveling around the country in her little van. With a ministry. In music. And so there's a piece in here that is came from the curtain that was in the back of. Carolyn's little. Little van. Arlington street church. One of our kind of mother church's originally the federal street church of william ellery channing in boston. I did my first student ministry there in 1970. The current minister is a pal of mine. And wendy it happened when i was working on my rocks to. That arlington street was recovering. The material on the pews. And so there's a band here that comes from. The pew material that was originally in arlington street. And the church. There are. Pictures of sweat rag from friends. There. I had a group based on a year to live and. So this was material from from group members it goes on and on. I do have to tell you one piece has nothing to do with unitarian universalism. But i love it. My father was my one of my great spiritual teachers. And this is a pair of. From his pajamas. That have happened if santa claus on them. And i love having that there and then the whole thing i have encased in material that came from. My preceptor my my teacher. I don't halifax. So that's a rocks to a brief introduction to to arasu. Ties first book published in this country the miracle of mindfulness. Was published actually buy our own beacon press in 1975. And the idea of mindfulness of being as fully present and mindful in the moment as possible. Has been my companion ever since. One of my favorite images from that book. From. Take note on the column tie. Is a simple glass of apple juice. Ty tells the story of children at play and coming in thursday. I took the last bottle of homemade apple juice and. Gave each of full glass. Serving little time last. Since her juice was from the bottom of the bottle while it had some pulp in it. When she noticed the particles she pouted and refused to drink it. The children went back to their games and tan had not drunk anything. Half an hour later. I heard her calling. Tom wanted to get herself a glass of cold water but even on tiptoes she couldn't reach the faucet. Thai gently reminded her of the glass of juice on the table and ask her. To drink that first. Turning to look at it she saw that the pope had settled. And the juice looked clear and delicious. She went to the table and. Cut the glass with both hands. After drinking half of it. She put it down and asked. Is this a different glass. Note i answered it's the same one as before. It's sat quietly for a bit. And now it's clear. And delicious. Tom looked at the glass again. It really was good she said. Was it just meditating like you. Anti replied let's just say that i imitate the apple juice when i sit. That is closer. To the truth. I love this story because it reflects the heart of what. Practice is all about. Imitating the apple juice. Needing to let things settle in order that we find some clarity. A clarity that can refreshes. And give us strength. And serenity. It's actually easier for a glass of juice to do this then for us. Tiny bits of pulp. Have only to follow the laws of gravity. Gravity brings them easily. To the bottom of the glass but our thoughts seem to a bay no such law. Gravity has little effect on the pulp of our minds. We always have spots in motion sinsations lots of pulp always busy. Some of this pulp. Is anything but peaceful stuff. Fiore. Shame. Desire. Disgust. Anguish. Doubt. When were trying to imitate the apple juice we often think we have to suppress the pulp. Our thoughts emotions sensations. In order to have a peaceful mind. And then the mind becomes a battlefield. The more we try to suppress the more the mind reveals. It's something like an ocean trying to suppress a wave. A wave is part of the ocean. Just as our thoughts and. Feelings and perceptions are part of our mind. What works better. Is treating the mind with gentleness. And respect. All we can really do is gently observe. We observe. Stay mindful. And try to keep the son of awareness continually shining. We do this because in ties words. Each thought. Each action in the sunlight of awareness. Becomes sacred. In this light. No boundary exist. Between the sacred. And the profane. Well i've lifted up compassion and mindfulness meditation now i'd like to speak to the third of the most significant gifts i've received. From buddhism. And that is the practice of metta or loving-kindness. The buddhist fundamental teaching about meta. Parallel the greatest teachings of jesus. As jesus enjoined us never to return evil for evil but to do good. And love our enemies. Over and over the buddha taught. That the fundamental law is that hatred does not cease by hatred. It can only be overcome. Bye love. Metta is a 2500 year old practice intended. To help us develop an open and loving heart. Characterized by gentle charity. And friendliness toward the world. It is a powerful practice. I don't have time to take us through a whole minute of practice but i. Do want to give you a little sense of it. Usually one works with the various parts of the practice for months at a time. Sew-in metal we always begin with ourselves. So i'd like to ask you to close your eyes. For a moment. As we move through really just. The briefest. Briefest of meditations. So. She would just take a breath and close your eyes. So traditionally we begin with forgiveness. Saying something like. I asked forgiveness for all. Of all beings who might have hurt or harmed in any way. I freely forgive all beings who have hurt or harmed me in any way. And i freely. Forgive myself. And then we might take some time to recall things about our self that we can celebrate. Stirring up feelings of. Gentle caring. It is understood that. We need to feel loving kindness toward ourself in order. To feel it toward any other being. And then begin the blessings as soon as i read them. Please just take them in. And allow yourself. To bless yourself. May i be free. From danger. May i be free from fear. May i have freedom from internal torment. And external danger. May i be strong and healthy. Embody. May i be in harmony. With my body. May i make a friend of my body. May i be healed. May i receive pain with patients. And friendliness. May i embody my love. And understanding. May i be happy. And peaceful in mind. May i live. With ease. May loving-kindness manifest throughout my life. May my heart. Remain open. May i know the beauty. Of my own true nature. Enjoy another. Mindful breath. You can leave your eyes closed you can open them whatever you want to do at this point. Now if we were doing meta we would spend much more time. But i want you to know the whole movement of the meditation. So after we begin with ourselves we moved to what is traditionally called a benefactor. Here we bring to mind someone who has helped us in some important way of teacher a wise guide. Someone we have completely positive feelings about. And we offer the same blessings to that person. May you be well happy peaceful. Know the beauty of your own true nature. And then in the next step we offer blessings toward a friend. We bring to mind a special friend or friends or loved ones. Seeing them in a circle of light and focusing on them with all our love and respect. And again. We offer the blessings may you be well. Happy. Peaceful. Know the truth of your own. Beautiful nature. And then the 4th step. We call to mind a neutral person. Someone toward whom we have little feeling of any kind. Maybe someone. You see at the bank or who. Somebody who works to do wherever you shop. You're running to them but you don't have a relationship. And we offered them the blessings maybe well happy. Peaceful. And then finally we turn our attention to to a problem person. Traditionally referred to as an enemy someone. With whom we feeling conflict and have trouble dealing. We send them the blessings maybe well. Happy and peaceful. And wouldn't run with a foal in january heart this is both difficult and transforming. And when we feel we have understood this level of the meditation we may choose to extend this. Last step. To offer our blessing to someone who has grievously. Rhonda's. Loving kindness meditation has been an important and deeply helpful part of my spiritual journey in the years since i took my vows. I will say that more than a few church members have found their way into my meta music is over the years. And several of the steps which i will leave you to figure out. Until the three most important gifts of buddhism to my own religious training. The understanding of compassion is necessary to the healing of the world. The concept of mindfulness. And loving kindness meditation. In closing i would like to suggest an image. A metaphor for buddhism. The lotus. Which by the way i do. Admit to sporting as a tattoo. The lotus blossom suggests that there is no need to concern yourself with unanswerable questions. For the beauty of now with its many pedals of meaning. Will naturally unfold. It grows in the soil. Of the everyday events of life. The lotus grows in mud. Symbolic of the idea. That understanding bloom's wherever we are. Not only where we seek to be. In buddhist cosmology when the divine life substance is about to create the universe. The cosmic waters grow. A 1000 petal lotus. Which is said to represent the door or opening of the womb of the universe. The pedals themselves are similar to the spokes of a wheel. Which is associated with the wheel of action or karma. The lotus is a symbol of the idea that we are all buddhas. Emanations of the transcendent imperishable sphere. Like jesus who taught that the realm of god is within. The buddha taught that each one of us must find our own way. Through our own efforts. Look within said the buddha. Thou art. The buddha. Imagine for a moment that you have been asked to bathe. The newborn buddha. Imagine the respect. The gentleness. The honor. The sacredness you would feel. And now imagine regarding your mind. As you would bathe. The newborn buddha. Take a moment to move into silence. And imagine you have found jumbled biffa rose apple island. You are in the center. Of suffering in the world. Helping to maintain balance. Send out compassion with as much joy as you would be. A newborn buddha. And tonight. May you remember to send yourself to sleep. With as much tenderness and care. As you would. A newborn. Remembering. That thou art. The buddha. Go in peace now. Go making peace. Live kindly. Love mightily. View the world through the eyes of compassion and with a global heart. And always bow. To the mystery.

uufvb_org

2011Feb06Sermon32.mp3

It's indeed a great privilege and pleasure to be with you today. I've ever spoken at a lot of churches around the country in fact about 90 churches around the country. I love you your churches. There's always a spirit of welcome. Add a spirit of of appreciation for diversity and respect for each other. Spirit of love. And i celebrate that with you. And i i mention that because of course i find that same spirit in many other churches. But that's not always the case. There's not always welcome. Another church. But i always get the hat and always sensed that in churches. That's why you celebrate that with you today. What i serve the united methodist church in dallas center iowa. I became acquainted with the usual minister in des moines. And when she realized that i believe in universalism she invited me to attend a special service that they were going to be having. It was going to be in the small town of mitchellville which is just east of des moines. And it was said to be in a church that was originally a universalist church. Although there's not a congregation there at that time. But they had one serviceberry summer as a way of celebrating their universalist heritage. So i was happy to accept your invitation to join them for that service. And i'll always remember when i walked up the walk in front of that church over-the-door read universalist church. And i thought i have arrived at home. Universalism has been very important to me for a lot of years. And as a result i wrote a book on the subject and spent well started in 2003 for three years full time on the road speaking about universalism. And now we're beginning the fourth-year on the road halftime. Continue to speak on universalism. Today i'm going to be talking about the history and the significance of the teaching of universalism. It is sometimes referred to as universal salvation so i'd like to offer a definition of salvation that is probably different from what you've heard from other sources. You're probably aware that at least among conservative christians. Salvation is to accept jesus as your personal savior so he can go to heaven when you die. Why believe that's not a very adequate understanding of salvation. And so a definition that works for me is that salvation is to learn and grow either with or without divine influence so as to experience. life in this life and beyond. And if you don't believe in the divine or if you don't believe in life after death. You can just leave those parts off the definition. And so salvation to me in this most basic definition is to learn and grow so as to experience the fullness of life. So in contrast to what many people believe i reject the idea that a lot of people are going to suffer forever in hell. Instead i believe everyone will eventually experience of life. Will experience salvation. During the time of the early church it was commonly taught in the religions of the day that a lot of people would spend eternity suffering in hell. There was at least one exception to that and and they were the zoroastrians. The zoroastrians where universe was. Also jesus in contrast to his jewish upbringing. Taught. That everyone would eventually experience salvation. That's clear to me from many passages of passages in the bible. In the environment where the common knowledge of the conventional wisdom of the day was that. And therefore there were many followers of jesus. Who did professor b followers. But they held on to their belief of endless suffering of many people beyond depth. However. The world lot of people who were convinced. Of the true message truly and fully converted to christianity in my estimation. Another words they were universal. Origin and tomato alexander alexandria. Where are the most prominent most significant. There were others including gregory of nyssa ambrose bishop of milan. And jerome translated the bible into latin which is known as the vulgate. There were. Many. Prominent women who are involved in the christian church which was a large degree and maybe the vast majority. There was macrina the younger and macrina the elder i guess they weren't very imaginative names. But they were they were universalist and they are considered saints in the catholic church today. As i said there were some people who weren't fully converted to christianity. Who became a christian at age 40 and held on to its belief of endless suffering of many people beyond death. In fact he so relish the idea of people suffering in hell. He said he believed that one of the best things about heaven would be the superb view of the damned frying in hell. I thought of that just make you feel good all over. Just think about that. A person who profess to be a follower of jesus and follower of the one who talks so much about love and compassion and forgiveness and mercy. Good so relish the idea of so many people suffering excruciating torment in hell forever. Augustine was another example of a person who wasn't fully converted. He became a christian at age 32 and all and any continue to hold on to his belief. But augustine was a pretty good theologian in many respects. And so his theology soon as i started to become dominant in the church. Not surprisingly that led to division and controversy over the issue of universalism. In order to resolve this problem the roman emperor called a church meeting the roman emperor justinian called the church meeting. It was the fifth ecumenical council and it was in the year 553. Now that's a little strange to you that a roman emperor would call a church meeting. Well. It makes perfect sense when you think about the fact that emperor's like to control people. And the people had had learned that threatening people with eternal damnation was a foolproof. Of course you know that that happens in churches yet today. The vast majority of churches in our country. Control people by threatening them with eternal damnation if they don't do what they say in that sort of thing. You're very familiar with that. You see if you can convince people that spending eternity in hell is a real possibility. Then you've got them where you want them. You can get them to do anything you want by threatening them with eternal damnation. The problem is. The universalists didn't take that seriously. And two other frustration that the emperor allied himself with the hellraisers of the day. With those who advocated the teaching of unending suffering of many people beyond death. And together they pushed through a resolution which abolished the teaching of universalism. Now it's not surprising that with all the powers of the church and the state against the teaching. It pretty well died out. For a while actually for a long time. And that it lasted for about 1,000 years. But. You can't suppress the truth in definitely right. Eventually it'll come bubbling up some place. And that's what happened about 300 years ago. It really started before 300 years ago. But about 300 years ago it started to become a significant movement again. John wesley who was the primary leader and organizer of the methodist movement back in the 18th century. Had a close association with a group of christians called the moravian. Moravian's for universalist. But early in his life and ministry wesley would argue with them. they were really wrong. But he continued his lifelong association with the moravian. And it seems that they eventually wore him down. Because wesley to came to believe in in universalism. I love to tell united methodist that john wesley eventually came to believe in universalism. And that is because in united methodist church the most conservative members are ones who are most likely to reject the teaching of universalism. At the same time they can often be heard to say. Let's go back and re-establish the teachings of john wesley. And i say yeah let's do that. Because he came to embrace universalism later in his life. The american colonies proved to be a particularly fertile ground for the spread of the teaching of universalism. George de beneville came over from france and 1741 to pennsylvania. And did a lot to spread the teaching there. John murray came over from england in 1770. And he worked closely with the quakers in the baptist. In spreading the teaching of universalism throughout the american colonies. It's not too surprising to us. That he would work with the quakers in spreading universalism. After all the quakers today. At least a lot of them are quite open to the teaching of universalism. But with baptist that would seem to be a different situation. But the baptist back then rather open-minded and minion believe in universalism. And i'm happy to tell you that there are a growing number of southern baptists who are now starting to embrace the teaching of universalism as well. The sad thing is. When they start to believe in universalism they're no longer welcome in the southern baptist church and so they expel those heretics. And but it's not a significant percent but it's a significant number of people. Who are beginning to embrace universalism from that conservative heritage. And there's others like at the american baptist especially in the northern part of the country who are very open to the teaching of universalism. Mostly with the quakers and the baptist. And spreading that universalism. And it was under his leadership that the universalist church in america was organized. At the time of the modern just as sin in the time of the early church there were women involved. In the movement as we heard in our story for all ages. What's an example of a prominent woman who had leadership and it was in 1863. So she was the first woman to be ordained in any combination. We in the united methodist church i think maybe many that's not we've been fairly progressive in that regard. We did that in 1956. We're almost a hundred years behind the universalists in ordaining women. But but we're still ahead of some of the others through some we still do it. And attending i saw that that's a sad thing. But anyway olympia brown certainly is an example of what that we can celebrate. Time of his life and ministry. What's the most prominent leader in the universalist church. When he died in 1850. There was about 800,000 members in the universalist church. So it was a strong movement at to be sure. Potentially beniversal if something hasn't been promoted by the universalist or the unitarians for that matter. But has been espoused by other leaders and theologians and other denominations as well. Weyerbacher. I wonder how many have heard of old frederick. Alright. That's pretty close to average i just. I get maybe one or two or three percent of heard of old friedrich. But is not a very well-known. But he was a fine theologian and a strong advocate of universal. Besides that i just like to say is name. Friedrich schleiermacher that a wonderful name i just love it. That in the 20th century. There were others who who promoted the teaching of universalism that everyone would eventually salvation. There's carl barton paul tillich dietrich bonhoeffer leslie weatherhead and others. So the teaching of universalism has a long rich history. Especially for more than five hundred years is a long time cuz it was the fifth acumenical counseling near 553 that the church turned against it. So universalism was a prominent teaching for more than 500 years following the time of jesus. And especially for the last three hundred years as well. But you might wonder why is this such an important issue for me. Because this is really not too consistent with what is usually considered the official united methodist doctrine. To believe in universalism. So why would i find myself swimming upstream in my denomination in order to to promote the teaching of universalism. What seems to mean that. The teaching of a god of eternal damnation that's prevailed for far too long in most churches and in our society at large and with devastating consequences. One of the reasons this is so important to me is because the teaching of a god of eternal damnation turns many people away from god. People know that they would never ever punish their own children without end and they just kept relate to a god who people say does that very same thing. Enter the teaching of a god of eternal damnation turns many people away from god. Sometimes they become atheist. Now. I need to acknowledge that i've learned a lot about atheism from you use. And ungrateful. When we went on the road my wife and i she is back there by the way i guess we didn't introduce her but my wife darling. I in all three i thought i knew something about atheism and i did a car so i know a little bit. Button in speaking at you your churches i've met a lot of wonderful 80s. You know i thought. It surely must be sad people. That's not been the case at all. I found that for many people atheism they find it to be a thoughtful responsible mature way to approach life and it works for them. Wolf with people for whom atheist and works i really don't have any difficulty. In other denominations. And that is because they still having the back of their mind to possibility of spending eternity in hell. And. If there's no god to rescue them from that plight than they conclude that they are doomed and that leads to despair and meaninglessness. In a lot of churches people attend church only at christmas and easter. And there's a good reason for that. Celebration and on those two times there's little danger that anybody is going to bring up that awful teaching of a god of eternal damnation. And so is that because they're too lazy to get up and go to church the rest of the time. It's because of the need for self-preservation they heard more damnation teaching than they care to hear about they don't want to hear anymore. Enter the go to church only on christmas at the times of christmas and easter the two times of celebration when there's little danger that there's going to but they're going to hear more about damnation teaching. And then there's perhaps half of the people in our country who don't go to church even at christmas and easter. I talked to an awful audubon church people and they so often bring up the idea of suffering of many people beyond death. That it's obviously it's an issue that weighs heavily upon them. And they they seem to hope that somebody will agree with him to tell him that god is not like that. They seem to instinctively reject the idea that god is a monster a tyrant who throws naughty people into hell to torture them forever because they were naughty. They also seem to instinctively reject the idea that god is weak and stupid. And therefore either camp saving save everybody or really doesn't care to do that. You see what kind of a goddess like that. And why would anybody in their right mind want to serve a god was either a tyrant. Who throws people into hell forever because they were naughty. Who is too weak to save anybody or doesn't care to save everybody. And that's not much of a god. And so are progressive the united methodist churches and episcopal and presbyterian and lutheran. As well as that you your churches of course. And they're not aware of that there are churches that teach law instead of judgment. That teach hope instead of damnation. That's what they drop out of church altogether. Will want to make the world a better place. And this is the issue that motivates me more than anything else. We all want to make the world a better place. But it seems to me that we're not going to have very much success in doing that. As long as the teaching of a god of eternal damnation continues to pray prevail in most churches. And in our society at large. And the reason for this is because what we believe about god has a powerful and direct influence on how we live our lives. If we believe that god is judgmental and condemning and cruel. Then it's very very easy to justify living that same way. Ourselves. It's like the old song one tin soldier goes. Go ahead and hate your neighbor go ahead and cheat a friend. Do it in the name of heaven. You can justify it in the end. Sadly i see people every day in our own country and around the world. Seeking to justify evil behavior in the name of heaven in the name of god. And it's much easier to do that if we believe that god is judgmental and condemning and cruel. On the other hand if we believe that god is loving and kind and merciful and gracious and patient that nurturing until i'm. Then we're much more likely to reflect those values in our lives as well. This is of enormous significance. I believe that if we are going to change the world for the better. Perhaps the most important single thing we need to do is to change people's perception of god. That is because i'm convinced that you can't raise people's behavior above their perception of god. And so if we're going to change the world for the better least significantly better. We have to change people's perception of god from being judgemental and cruel. To being loving. During the civil war abraham lincoln was sometimes criticized. Because he loved his enemies too much. He was told you should love your enemies you should seek to destroy them. To which lincoln replied. Do i not destroy my enemies when i make them my friends. Is that powerful. Do i not destroy my enemies when i make them my friends. Abraham lincoln was the universalist he rejected the teaching of a god of eternal damnation he believed in the power of love and the preciousness of each individual and that everyone would eventually experience fullness of life. And as a result he could love even his enemies. And what a difference that made and how he lived his life. We are universal us who believe in the power of love in the preciousness of each individual i believe are called to live the same way. And as a result we can. Rise above being judgemental and cruel. In order to transform the world through love. So we can believe in universalism who believe in the preciousness of each individual who believe in the power of love. Have a powerful and wonderful message to share with the world. And it is important that we do so. There's a man named robert short who wrote a book called something to believe in a wonderful universalist book is its powerful into funniest book i've ever read my life. And he did it but it's but it's a powerful book on universalism i highly recommend it. Something to believe in by robert short. And that bucky says there is too much at stake for us to allow ourselves to be intimidated by the rascals self-righteousness of the hell-raising gloomy doomie's. Nfm statement. There is too much at stake. Frost to allow ourselves to be intimidated. By the wrathful self-righteousness of the hell-raising gloomy doomie's. And then it goes on to say therefore our witness to them should be just as aggressive and unambiguous as there is has been to us. Fundamentalist can be intimidating campaign. They go around quoting the bible and asking people whether or not they're saved. They they exhibit such confidence. So they can be intimidating. But. I say let's not be intimidated by them. After all we are the ones with the good news for the world. In contrast spread a teaching that is divisive and leads to cruel and inhuman behavior and justifies abuse. What the attitude of the fundamentalist. It really is no big deal to go to war and kill people of other faiths or people who don't have any particular face at all. After all they believe that those people are all destined to go to hell and therefore they're really not very valuable and therefore it really is not that big of a deal in order to kill them. Also with the attitude of the of the fundamentalist. It's really no big deal to torture people. Whether that's at guantanamo bay or any place else. After all they contend that god passion to hell specifically for the purpose of torturing naughty people forever. It's off it's okay for god to torture people it surely must be okay for us to do. Besides the torture that we might inflict upon others weather is waterboarding or whatever. Is nothing compared to what they say that god will inflict upon people forever in a lake of fire no less. So we who believe in love. Who believe in universalism who believe in the preciousness of each individual. Have a wonderful message and wonderful good news to share with the world. So i say let's not be intimidated. The teaching of a god of eternal damnation leads to wars and racism and oppression and abuse. While the spread of the teaching of universalism leads to equality respect. Love and dignity for all. So i say let's not be intimidated by the hellraisers. Instead. Let us freely and boldly proclaim to the world wonderful message of universalism. And the world will be infinitely better off because of it.

uufvb_org

19Jul2009sermon32kbs.mp3

uufvb_org

2014Feb02Sermon32.mp3

Over my long career ministry i've had my name in print many many times usually thanking me for something or something that i had to do it. It's always startling to see yourself in a national publication when you have. No knowledge of what they're going to say about you especially that happened to me in 1996 when trinity magazine. We're writing about me and their national publication and bonnie is going to read. What they said about me and about. All of us. The reading this morning is from an article published in 1996 in trinity magazine. It's my dr. alan w gomez. It has the rather improbable title. Unitarian universalist and the second law of theological thermodynamics. Colon. The rise of militant. Pluralism. I hope you. In the past 30 years we christians have virtually ignored the unitarian universalist association. Leaving it to spend its force and what they perceived to be random. Doctrinal chaos. Perhaps we felt this was a safe course. Since the uua was in steady decline. And was therefore seen as less threatening. Then more virulent groups. Such as jehovah's witnesses. And mormons. Who were aggressively proselytizing. Harvest. Absol. The larger than some notorious and well-publicized. Call. The perceived threat was less. Because the uu way was not evangelistic. Keeping largely to itself. Much has changed. However. Dr. gomez. And i believe that we christians can no longer ignore. The uua has shed. Passivity. And is now spreading it. Quote. Saving message. Unquote. With a vengeance quite literally. In its attempt to blunt the so-called religious right. We christians need to put this latest string of unitarian-universalism under the microscope. Formulate ways to inoculate. Against it. For years the uu asu any mention of evangelism. Except in a derisive context. By their own admission. And evangelist. Were virtual unitarian expletives. 4 evangelism what by nature was seen as inimical to the twin ideas of tolerance. Pluralism. Unitarian universalist were scrupulously careful to avoid proselytizing. Or seeking converse. In the traditional sense. However this approach has given way to systematic efforts. At outreach engross. Which have new. At which have now become fashionable. Aggressive breed. Leading the charge is the reverend scott alexander. Alexander. Alexander published salted with fire. A strategy guide presents a militant program for expansion through evangelism. Not all you use embrace alexander's approach. It does appear to have a high level of support. Even if resisted by traditionalist within the uu movement. The new evangelistic trust appears to be here to stay. If the demand for alexander's seminars and printed materials is any indication. Alexander has visited nearly half of the denominations 22 districts. Simply cannot keep up. With a clamor for his workshops. Fueling just new interest in outreach. Is it desire to counteract the so-called religious right. Alarmed by an increasingly conservative political climate. The so-called. The uu evangelists. Feel they must blunt the religious rights attack. Ternative. Alexander state and here he quotes trevor alexander. The religious right has shown us how endangered our values are. How high are the stakes. We're realizing that if we don't stand up in the public square. And proclaim. Our message will never be heard. Unquote. Alexander directly credits the activism of the religious right with instilling a quote. Renewed sense amongst unitarian universalist. That we have a unique. Valuable religious vision to offer others. Alexander says that unitarians have a saving message. A message that he wants to broadcast as never before. Unfortunately. What's a unitarian universalist cannot provide. A generation of hungry seekers. Is the one food. That will satisfy. That's the lord jesus christ. The living bread from heaven. May god cause mini in the food without price. Which only the triune god of scripture. Can supply. Here ends the morning reading. So as many view i was delighted a few weeks ago on christmas morning morning paper and salt. On the choir and ice on the cover. With a message about jesus and what his life's message might mean to humanity. Was featured on page one. The religion of the press journal wonderful young woman. Like the heartfelt and inclusive christmas message i had written. And decided to share it with the paper's readers here on the treasure coast it went almost 60,000 household. Here is the core of that simple christian message i offered to the community that morning. I said weather. You're christian. Jewish muslim or atheist. Jesus. Love your neighbor. Share what you have with the poor feed the hungry howie's. The homeless visit the prisoner remember. That you are your brother's and sister's keeper and then i continued. What could be more spiritually important. In this fragile season of love and hope. Then keeping jesus and christmas by reaching out to those around us with love compassion and listen care and then i ended by reminding everyone. That the true work of christmas. Remains unfulfilled. Now i will fully admit. But i was very pleased to be afforded this positive public platform offered by the press journal. To share with everyone in our spiritually diverse community. This unitarian universalist perspective on the holiday. Whenever i have a chance to publicly express r+ uu values in perspective. It strengthens our congregations reputation and standing in this community. El brings wonderful visitors and newcomers to us. And although i should probably not have been i was i admit it's a bit surprised. When both the religion editor and i were publicly and privately criticized in the days that followed. By numerous local conservative christians who did not approve. Of my inclusive ethical message. Being shared on christmas morning. One angry letter letter to the editor written by grab greg stamps pratt. Who is the pastor of the first church of god they built this building before they moved up to the highway. He's a local evengelical christian. He wrote this. I was appalled. By the december 25th article about the meaning of christmas i'm sorry he writes but jews muslims. Have nothing in common with christians. On the central message of jesus christ. What i read in the newspaper is both insulting to the name of jesus and harmful to the loving message. He wants the world to hear and that message of course he want them to hear. Is the human persons can only receive salvation meaning and purpose in life. When they accept jesus christ. As their personal lord and savior. Another letter writer accused us. Unitarian universalist as a stepdad masquerading around as christians. When he quoted they are nothing of the sort. And another angry letter there were about a dozen of these in the paper i think most of you saw them. Another writer snorted it doesn't take a rhodes scholar to figure out the universal. Is about as smart as featuring a muslim on young yom kippur. Shame on you editors. What great logic these people use. And then just this past tuesday in the letter attacking the idea. Set apart of jesus's message. Jesus was never taught his followers to be tolerant. Okay then. I got it. I must admit. That is thick as i think my ministerial skin is in public situations like this. I did feel a bit bullied in the days and weeks following christmas. I wouldn't portly point out that i said absolutely nothing in that christmas morning messages. That attacked or ridiculed or dismissed. Conservative christian theology. I did not pick a fight with anyone. I merely articulated the century-old unitarian universalist perspective. Jesus of nazareth was one of humanity's great moral and ethical teachers. Who's message of love. Compassion and justice is still relevant to all of humanity today. But alas as a unitarian universalist i was attacked. And the truth is dear friends i should not have been surprised. Buy this is christmas day reaction. Buy some conservative christians and i emphasize the word some. For not all evangelical christians are aggressively hostile. To other faiths. But i was surprised. That are prospective. Was attacked as it was shared. Indeed for the entirety of my 40-year ministerial career i have repeatedly bumped up against. Vociferous conservative christian to feel the thing. Possess the truth about jesus. And they alone have the key to unlock human salvation on purpose they own jesus and no one else can speak about him. Indeed very early in my career as a minister when i was just 24 years old serving a little. Struggling. Ernest in 1970s. 1970s small isolated northern maine town to town call holton. There was a fervent. A fundamentalist christian minister his name was memorably pastor fred. Who was one spring. Devoting his weekly half-hour radio show on the only station we can listen to for no other signal reached houlton maine. He was using his weekly radio show on the only radio in town not to positively articulate and share his own christian faith. But rather to sequentially each week attack. All the religious groups in town. Which a fundamentalist christian writer by the name of walter martin in this massive book called. Determined work calls were. The busty rejected by all true christian. Pastor fred was simply working from this book. Reading and repeating the arguments found there. Using the local airwaves to attack and dismissed a variety of religious groups that have been there a very long time. The mormons. The jehovah's witnesses. The christian scientists the salvation army the baha'i is the muslim. And yes the congregation icer. The first church of houlton unitarian universalist. Several members of my congregation which incidentally was the oldest in the northern half of me. Having been founded with the town in 1811. My parishioners and other local citizens were troubled by these aggressive sectarian attack. And turned to me and asked me to do something about it. Never one to shy away from a fight i believe needed to be fought. After talking with some of the more tolerant clergy in town. With the manager of the radio station. I told him that many in town were upset by these unwarranted and prejudicial and inaccurate attack. I'm perfectly respectable faith communities that have long existed in town. And i asked him to either to get pastor fred to stop these attacks. Or give each group being attacked equal time on his radio station to defend themselves. The radio station immediately pleaded with pastor fred to cease and desist from these attacks. And when he refused well. They took him off the air. The plot thickens. As i'm sure you can all imagine some and that conservative christian community in that town who shared pastor fred's fundamentalist and intolerance. Went ballistic they called the whole affair. And accused me personally of censoring the word of god and being the agent of satan. Letters to the editor and fourth the paper. The only paper in the world. And by god they were rice. Everywhere i went sermons were preached about it everywhere i went people talk to you about it took months. For the controversy to settle down in the meantime. Defending. The validity. And the acceptability of their face. Pastor fred recently spent several years in maine state penitentiary for abusing children in his own congregation. Anyway that's kind of a sidebar. But the controversy taught me a lesson i carried with me for the entirety of my ministry. And that lesson is at some religions most particularly fundamentalist and dogmatic ones. Are very afraid and hostile to faith perspectives that differ from their own. I also learned our free and inclusive faith unitarian universalism. Is often feared and targeted by these folks as disreputable and unworthy. Efface. And so the question i want to ask and hopefully quickly answer this morning is. Just what is it about our face about uuism. The fundamentalist christian or otherwise are so afraid of. And why has happened here in vero beach after what i thought was a very mild-mannered christmas day message. The need to publicly refute and criticize our values. And our approach to religion. Revisiting this morning's reading by dr. alice alan gomez with bonnie read to us early it pretty much. Succinctly summarize the great fear of otis he writes the saving message of uuism. Is pluralism. A theology centered on tolerance. Independence and compassion. That's the problem. In other words. It is our openness and our diversity to whether whether it's people or perspectives that most most scares them it's the openness. Dr. gomez who teaches at talbot theological school of fundamentalist christian institution located in. La mirada california. Criticizes us has a religion not for the 7 principles. By the way. Mention the principles which they don't have any criticism about them. They don't argue with our liberal ethical moral social positions we take on marriage equality. They don't even criticize us for our long history of progressive religious activism. They attack us only for one thing artist apology religion. This author attacks are bedrock commitment to pluralism. Diversity tolerance respect and inclusion. Simply put it is the open and inclusive which threatens the fundamentalist way of thinking. I quote him directly a notice please. Much to his credit that this author does get our face correctly listen to what they say about us. I i take this by though he's meaning this as an indictment but i take this as a badge of honor he right. Unitarian universalist promote religious tolerance and pluralism as a virtue conversely they has to religious exclusivism because they believe religious truth is not absolute. Changing over time you use powerade a wide variety of religious perspective. They believe all people should be tolerant of the religious ideas of others. Unitarian universalist believe that no religion including their own has has exclusive possession of the truth. They believe all the police ought to be honored and respected for the truth. Leave the following the following of almost any religion. Can help a dedicated individual find a better and more meaningful life that can't be true. And then he refused our approach calling it an ungodly approach to face. He right. God does not tolerate pluralism in religious beliefs there is only one true god the god of the bible the bible expresses condemnation of religious pluralism. The bible is qualitatively different from any other so-called sacred books and alone is the word of god. I'm strictly historical ground he's winding up now toward concluding. The bible is the most reliable book ever pens contrary to the you you claim the bible because it is god-breathed. Isn't infallible book without error the bible does not contain moral errors. In contradistinction to all other religions he concludes. Christianity is based on the authority of a person. The lord jesus christ. And then he ends as you think he might. Jesus christ is god's only. Way. Of salvation. To fundamentalist christians correctly perceive. The threat which our tradition poses to their religious worldview. Were they are certain. There is only one path to truth into filament. Toppings for accepting jesus christ. As your personal lord and savior. We believe. That religious truth and fulfillment can be found in many places. In many religious scriptures and in many spiritual traditions and perspectives. We in the free church. Also believe spiritual and ethical truth. Rather than having been revealed once and for all in a single ancient bound of scrub bound book of scripture. The truth. Ebbo spiritual and ethical can be found in many places in many traditions and writings ancient and modern. And can you evolve truth can and change and mature overtime. Because of our very. Different approach to matters of the spirit. Christian fundamentalist perceive us. As a serious spiritual threat. And they. Ar. They see us as a threat. Because if are open. Pluralistic inclusive tolerant and fluid approach to religious truth. Is valid in any way. Then they are fixed absolute. Call religious speakers. And so feeling that threat they come after us. They come after us. As they did following my christmas column here in vero. Challenging our liberal right to speak challenging our right to be heard in the religious marketplace. They try to shut down the religious editor so she would never again publish something by me. So again it is a radically open and inclusive approach to religion. Fundamentalism of any jokes. And therefore they challenge and attack all right. So i assume. You will appreciate understand this fundamental tension. Between religious. Fundamentalist religious liberals between the clothes church. And the free church. And why they feel the need to so aggressively push back against us. When you receive any airtime. Or any respect. In the culture. If they don't their whole house of cards. May come falling down. As unitarian universalist living in a culture alongside of many conservative christians. We must expect. These criticisms. For our way of being religious. Why have i talked about all this this morning. On the sunday when we launched our annual stewardship campaign to raise the funds. Necessary to financially sustain this place. Well simply because among the many good reasons. We should generously support this growing congregation. Is the fact that this community vero beach. Needs a congregation. That speaks with a loud and clear and sure liberal and progressive voice. Yes. You should support uusd because it is a warm and caring and inclusive place. It gives you a place to feel safe and warm at home in the world and supports you wherever you are on your journey. And yes you should support usb-b because here we. Feed and nourish your spirit with i hope meaningful worshiping uplifting music. And small-group ministry like the covenant groups of me. Book discussion groups are we deepen. Both are human connections and understanding. And yes. You should support uscb because here we work hard on behalf of social justice. And human dignity and regularly reach out to those in our local community. And the wider world was compassion and concern and care and yes. You should support your used because here we share with our children. And our grandchildren our hopes and our dreams for the human family. And strive to pass on to them. The compassionate values and positive beliefs of our tradition. That will help them we pray lead lives their whole lives. Of decency on purpose and joy. And finally. You should support this place. And this has been my focus this morning. Because here. In this inclusive and diverse congregation. We uniquely make room for human difference. Welcoming and including many kinds of different people. With differing beliefs. And different passion. And differing perspectives. Here in this unitarian universalist congregation we sincerely believe. Many parallel and purposeful pads. To goodness and decency and joy. Mini pads to finding salvation whatever that means. To you. And we promise. We promise from the very core and set her and soul of this place. To make room for you and your understandings about how life works and how it should be made. I miss stewardship sunday i close by asking that you take a step up. As woody has already asked. And support this congregation for everything it stands for. Just as generously as you can. For all these reasons to keep uusc be strong. It is very important. Very important. But the treasure coast. As a vibrant and healthy. Progressive congregation. A place of the open mind. And the generous heart. We are all 32. Grow just as we must and might. In the ways of decency enjoy on purpose. Even as together we work. To make this world. A sweeter. And better place. For all. Listening to you this hour. In the tradition of freedom and reason. Hours is it tradition of inclusion and care hours is a tradition. Call justice and compassion. Unitarian universalism has always been a source. Of healing and hope. For the world. Always. Piso.

uufvb_org

2014Apr06Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. It's a beautiful day there's a 50-mile bike ride in my future. I don't know about you but get out enjoy the afternoon. And welcome good morning. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach and we're so pleased that each of you a chosen. To get up. This morning and be with us here. Wework arrogation of open mind loving hearts and helping hands people seeking to become. Our best selves. Even as together we work to make our world a better place. And you are welcome precisely as you come to us this morning. Whether you're young or old gay or straight black or white or some other interesting and wonderful shade of humanity. Whether you were feeling on top of the world this morning. Or down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you just as you come to us and all of your. I hope you will find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. You will find something here this morning. The nurse is your soul and feeds your fear and gives you a nude energy and purpose for the living. Of life. In the days and weeks ahead. This morning charles. john united methodist. Churches in pennsylvania. And also served until 2000 rejected at the district superintendent. Once again we have chosen each other here. Our spiritual home. Or walking on the beach or write in emails to form on the planet. To bother to come together in space gathering in this room together for an hour of reflection. Care. Ultimately how we livin. Angelworks the purpose and clarity joyfulness. Just serve the car a few majestics invigorating. Aurora parts and on hand. Always be montague. Saving ourselves. Other. This morning. This is the day that the lord has made let us rejoice. Good morning. I'm a grateful for this morning. Bill was literally a rocket scientist. Put in einstein german accent. Philip sousa june 2009. Appreciated. Candidate exterminating roof hear women was installed. This has been our our winter congregation. Pennsylvania. Deerfield beach pier 4. Loving cards to all sorts and conditions of humanity. Download music app. Inhale from the pocono mountains. If you agree to set up door. I decided it was time i say it. United methodist. Are you going to use very much anymore it's morning and still not feeling good this rolling is done. During many of the reader enjoy with your father's mind.. We're committed to yours. 89. He was a roman catholic. The trailer for the pool. Broadway. All of his workers. Jesus. Despres. 1st and 10 tax collector. Other people. Rose. Or even like his tax collector. I give you 10 of the volume. This is justified rather than the other. 2 million. But this is not a joke this is. Vice. Reflection in a conversation. Jesus talk about your terrible all the time as favorite teaching tool. A parable is not a recording of an historical event. It's a frame around of human experience. So the question is. The only response that apparently made it would be all the time. Who is the only place in the scriptures where this particular pair of a recorded. Minute. Pharisee and republican are two kinds of man that are very familiar to jesus heroes. Pharisees were one of the two major religious. Rooms in judaism is a timer the sadducees for the other. They were part of the religious status. Even though the pharisees and the sadducees were part of the same they did not agree with each other. Observant jews and they took their religion seriously and they worked hard on. Jesus holds up in particular pharisee as an example of what not to do it. Pharisees were very developed. Play song unbelievable variety of the law of moses. He was now he is he's a good example of serious waukegan he goes above and beyond what's required. Twice a week. For god's work is a tiger. And if this all of the ceilings their 2000.. Understand each other this day would be good to me. Little something else. Tax collectors were outcasts. They were they were jews. Who works for the government to collect taxes. And when something like this the government told the tax collectors how much they needed to raise his taxes. And then they were free. Above and beyond. Jesus had a former tax collector. Well. Will you understand. Corrupt public officials recently. Play sad story. And by the standards of the least popular imagine. And we have the car to man into prayers. The holy man. Good health card receipts. Garages religious resume. How much battery is other people. Including this. You self-righteous she is arrogant and condescending. Standing alone and apart from his fellow with his head lowered the crook. All he can do is beg god for mercy confessing into spinner. And he speaks the bitter truth to himself a stick steer dakota cara. Texas guy gets here. Patrice has had something else in mind here besides the proper way to pray there's no mystery. Princess for all who exalt themselves will be humble. And we are invited inside. We might find ourselves in this story. Periorbital opens the door for us. Curious. David hurst. Even though we may not have words to describe it. We would have trouble answering the question of whether or not we considered ourselves to be homo you consider yourself to be a humble person. Variety images. Understanding. Unassuming intentional are. We're getting any intention on simple sentence. Those working and deserve respect they deserve.. Because it's smooth human interaction. Electra safer in a senior world it makes for peace and makes for a lot less road rage incidents when when firearms are involved. Supposed to. Do arrogance and rudeness and self-centeredness and selfishness. Some folks just believe their time is worth more than others. Third their needs have priority over others are their schedule is more important than others they deserve a place in line ahead of others. And what they believe is right and true all together and not negotiable. Thankfully. That's that's not. Universally true. But you but you militie also has a deeper. Dimension. According to this parable. Humility is not only good for driving and for shopping if we're dealing with the clerks in the. In the motor vehicle registry. Humility according to the parable has something to do with our relationship with god. No. You may choose another name besides god. You may prefer love or. The spirit of life or source or. Truth or the ground of our being or are our own best sales all perfectly. Good words. But the name. Whatever one we choose points to our awareness. Of accountability as human beings to something beyond ourselves. Beyond just. Grabbing all the gusto we can grab and just taking the money and running and. And beyond just winning at any cost points to another kind another level of accountability. Humility does not begin in the decision we make. They were going to be polite or that we're going to be respectful. Humility begins in the deep center of who we are. It's not a jacket we put on we. Go out to get the bread in the mail. At publix. And then we can only take it off and hang it by the door get humility is not primarily the way we behave. Although of course there is some of that in it. It's not a performance. It's not just pulling over and letting the tailgater pass. It's not your shaking your head and smiling with somebody. Cut this off now those are not bad things to do. But the humility. To which the parable is pointing comes from another place. And it runs far deeper than that. Humility is not so much what we do. Humility is what we are. The word humility comes from the same root as the word. Hummus. And if you regarding your you know what you miss is. It's that. Rich organic material. It has the power to change dirt into soil. It's why gardeners are so interested in compost. And it's why we recycle the leaves in the grass and the plants and the kitchen waste and allowed into slowly decomposed what comes from that decomposition. Is dark and rich and moist. It is the substance that has all the nutrients that. Produced terrific tomatoes and. Radiant radishes. To all there. Hummus in the garden is where life begins. It's that secret ingredient. That makes us smile when we. When we walk through our garden in august in the. And the tomatoes are turning red at least in pennsylvania. Fertilizers have their place in the garden but but they're no substitute for hummus. I'm reminded. Of the value of hummus at work everytime i drive into town on pennsylvania route 690. I drive by my friend raised garden. Ray has country fair quality vegetables. It come from that garden. And we watch him prepare that soil every year. There's compost and there's manure in the spring. And there's a ride cover crop in the fall. And he amalgamates all of that goodness deeply into the soil with his troy-bilt in the goal gets deeper year-by-year. Everybody knows raised garden on route 690. We automatically turn our head to see what's happening as we go by. You could plan a stick and raised garden it would grow. Well if you militie is less what we do and more what we are. Then the question is how do we become that way. Well. Perhaps it is something to do. With hummus. The parable points us in one direction. And as we look more closely at. The tax collector we get some clues. And what we see. Is it he acknowledges that he is a sinner in need of mercy. No given the context of this parable his prayer was perfectly appropriate. He's a jew in the temple at prayer seeking to reconnect with the holy one blessed be he. He opened his heart and his soul and he lifts them to heaven. So god can reclaim them. And jesus said that he went home justified. Maid-rite and his relationship with god was renewed. Gnossienne. I understand is not the word everyone. Would choose to describe those situations when we separate ourselves from the holy. Or and we provide our own self absolution which is usually accompanied by rationalization and denial but but even without the particular word seeing most of us can understand. The death of the tax collectors distress. Because when we speak the truth to ourselves. Can we speak the truth to god we know that along the way. We have made some terrible choices. Urban x. Most everyone of us have lied. Cheated. Stolen and hurt others in anger or revenge we have. At times when we broken faith and we have betrayed the trust of those who love us. And we recall regretfully that we have sometimes walked away from those who were in need because they did not. Quite come up to our compassion threshold. We remember those times with tears. When we have been terribly wrong. When all we wanted to do was pay the fine and go home. But we were broke. We know that we are still crazy after all these years. When we face the truth of our brokenness we are like hummus. We are ready for something. To take root and to grow within us. When that happens they are powerful moments. Did bind us both to the holy one. And also to our fellow human beings. The pharisee in his perfection would have trouble embracing another hurting sewell. Wouldn't even notice him. The tax collector ken far more readily stand with the imperfection in the pain of others because he knows he stands there himself. Humility is a grace that has the power. To lead us to compassion. And talita's the empathy. And lead us to action. We come to see in our own failure that all humans are brothers and sisters. We're bound together by our imperfection. We're bonded. By arnie. Now this parable doesn't need any help from me. And it's not going to get it right now. Play sometimes imagine another parable. It begins just like this one in luke. But this parable has a little different ending. Is the tax collector stands praying in the temple. One of his neighbors. Perhaps someone he has cheated. Seize him. In great distress. And has compassion on him. And comes. And stands beside him and waits in silence while he prays. And in that act of solidarity and compassion. The tax collectors absolution begins. In our own humanity. In our own humility we can sometimes become a source of absolution. For those who are seeking homeless. Sometime. But that's a parable for another day. The problem with the pharisee was not that he was a holy man who kept all the religious laws that is all well and good. The problem was at the pharisee was so. Filled with himself that there was no room for god or neighbor. He does not ask god for anything. He does not need anything. You stand proudly alone. The pharisees full already. That is a very hard and rocky soil. To grow much of anything. The parable lifts up the tax collector. Hasn't broken in a needy soul. He brings to god nothing but his honesty and his pain. He knows himself not for what he has but for what he needs. And where he is empty there is room. For god to make a difference in his life. I've sometimes wondered what did jesus mean when he says that those who humble themselves will be exalted what does exalted mean. Well i don't see how we can possibly mean that the humble or going to get the sit in the places of honor or there or that the humbler going to get to the head of the line or that the humbler going to win the lottery or live forever jesus is never interested in any of those things. I believe that exalted means that the humble. Already. What they truly need. They are the rich. Dark fertile soil in which. God is growing. They're the ones with the deep roots. In the rich and fertile center of a soul there so they know a holy presence. They are exalted how can they keep from singing. Two men went up to the temple to pray. One man bragged. And one man bed. One spirit with barron. And one spirit was first. In one man the spirit of life is struggling to find a way in. In one man the spirit of life was sending up new shoots. And so once again this morning the parable plays briefly. Across the screen of our hearts and minds. And we watch this very simple vignette. From the temple. One day long ago. It's an incident never happened. And yet. It happens all the time. And by the gentle teaching of the parable you and i. Are invited to seek. Humility. You and i are invited to become the medium. For the abundant life. You and i are in fight. To share that life. With all the pharisees. And all of the publican's. That we have yet to me. Happy song. Baby song. May the peace of god which passes all comprehension. Be with you now and always. Amen. And i sent you to your week with these words from unitarian minister. William henry channing. Written in 1840. It's entitled. My symphony. My symphony. To live content with small means. To seek elegance rather than luxury. And refinement rather than fashion. To be worthy not respectable and wealthy. Not rich. To study hard. Think. Quietly. Clock. Gently. Act. Frankly. To listen to stars and birds babes and sages with open heart. To bear all cheerfully. Do all bravely. Await occasions. Never hurry. In a word. To let the spiritual unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common. This. Is tubi. My symphony. Go in peace. And enjoy.

uufvb_org

2013Oct20Sermon32.mp3

Good morning. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship. I'm sure you've all noticed the reins of the dry season is here and therefore the brush fires are back. But the snowbirds are starting to dribble in. And there's john walsh. So welcome to all of you. Tires. We are congregation. About the mines. Even as together we work. To make a better world and please know that you are welcome just as you come to us this morning. Whether you were young or old black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. Weather this morning. You are feeling on top of the world or. Down in the dumps anxious about something were very calm. Know that. We accept you as you are and seek to norris shoe here in the space. We hope you will find our services morning. Meaningful enriching you will find something here this morning that nourishes your spirit. And feed your soul and gives you some energy enjoy for the living of life in the days and weeks ahead. Which has safely brought us. For the refreshment daily provide. Dreams. Shelter our fantasies nourish our vision and purge our angers and fears. We bless you sleep. For providing a new beginning. Who's perennial grasses tangipahoa. All the children. And we praise the gift of another morning. And pray that we may be worthy bearers of its trust. In the hours to come a life. Protect. And surprise us mb. No more harsh. In the vast emptiness. Of your everlasting arms. I don't know. At least with sleep and spirituality that is the case. And this is from a publication called angel. Sleep. What you need to know she right. Most of my life i was an unrepentant sleep. When i lay my head upon the pillow sleeping. I used to test my talent for flowing fluidly in. And precisely out of sleep. Wake me up at 6:18 a.m. precisely. Port 621. Or 702 and i could do it. I had a gift for sleep. And. I only had most. Cursory. Who suffered. The agony of insomnia. It seems my comeuppance was long overdue last winter. Ratchet. I hardly slept. A perfect storm of problems left me staggering zombie-like through the day. Even the ability to nap was snatched from me. Wake my boyfriend in a fit of jealous peak peanut oil massage. His seemingly, nearby. Needless to say the word few 4 a.m. fights he didn't understand the logic that to sleepless people were better than one. The season of hell. She writes has mercifully passed and left in its wake. A new appreciation. For the beneficence of sleep in me. How do i perform this lightly active magic. And why must i. Last winter i leave. And google endlessly about sleep. Permeates new york city. At the witching hour. I learned she write the sleep. Is as old as and complex as life itself a dinosaur skeleton was recently discovered in a sleeping position like a birds. Dolphins sleep one brain hemisphere at a time so they can keep swimming. Armadillos sleep 18 hours a night. And giraffes and only two. What is known as paradoxically or rapid eye movement sleep. Even fruit flies. To sleep. Alternating periods of deep rest with activity. And then she ends. Such creative convergent evolution revealed. That sleep is so necessary. That nature will invent it. Again and again. Even as it varies. Vegetales. Here ends. The morning reading. I'm sleep. Gym this morning by telling a bit of a story on the hazards of being a preacher. 5 years ago senior minister of the river road uu congregation in bethesda maryland. I went through.. I was having trouble sleeping. Primarily due to stress and my own personal life. This disruption of sleep pattern was a significant problem for me and it got me to thinking about the importance of sleep. Health and wealth. Along the lines of physician heal thyself. I decided to preach a sermon about the spirituality of sleep. To see if i couldn't get a better handle. On my own per person to discover some way. To regain my healthy pattern of sleep well no sooner. When one of my shall i say. More aggressive and unpleasant parishioners. Wrote me an angry email basically chastising me for wasting time on such a trivial topic. After a day's reflection. I wrote her back and said. Maybe you should hold your criticism of the sermon until i. Never before in my ministry. What an amazing profession. Ministry can be. Later after that email exchange. When is a part of my research i google the phrase the spirituality of sleep. One single solitary on the world wide web. I was alone. I'm doing this. I actually began to think linda apparently no other spiritual or religious leader ever spirituality asleep. Maybe as a minister i was as they say barking up a trivial and irrelevant tree well. Got a great response i preached it on a sunday in may of that year and i got a very warm response from the current location. And i still believe. This is an important topic for a congregation of unitarian universalist. Two returned this morning with the keep your opinion to yourself. And here's the fun and amazing thing this time when i went to do my research a couple of weeks ago. When i google the spirituality of sleep. It turns out that since my last and writing about sleep from a spiritual perspective. Video of. Interviewed by arianna huffington on the importance of sleeping with me even though. You go to bed. 8:30 at night and you wake up at 3:30 you clearly put a lot of which we love because. So what's the secret. Off sound sleep and why is it so important. Call me very important. The other day in delhi. Micah what is provided by government. Salon driver. When you die become. Then. I austin. How many hours you sleep. Thank you sis.. Then i told him for us. I mean. Not educated. So you must have sleep 6 hours the next day i met. Covid-19. Restful. And also you see that. I think important is daytime your mind come. Relax. Drink night is asleep. Happy dream. Too much anxiety in daytime evening dream. Night night melody 66. Anyway for me. Sleep sounds sleep. Usually. 8 sometimes last night 9 hours. Very sound sleep. And then also. Lenni hannibal. All my political responsibility. Tattoo elephant. Bussin. Wwe. Formally. That night. Very unusual sounds. Call during the day. Lots of sleep. At night. Wherever you are eat your heart out even the dalai lama thinks is important. Right where this touches me personally. When i can't sleep. Or when i fail to get at least 7 hours of solid. Solid hours of this delicious thing. It really complicates and diminishes my life. On nights when sleep comes hard for me it's not that i have trouble falling asleep. When i go to bed what happens usually to me. Islay wake up at about 3 a.m.. And then because my mind automatically 6. On things that are worrying and bothering me put a mickey mind. Because i focus on my monkey mind. I find myself unable to fall back to sleep dust depriving myself on those nights of the full night's rest i desperately need. For emotional and spiritual and physical health. Other research the topic of sleep it turns out that i'm not alone in suffering this unpleasant thing called. Insomnia sleep scientist and there are as you know many sleep scientists and medical people out there working on this everyday human problem. Sleep scientists tell us that insomnia. Sleep. And therefore the failure. Proper daily rest is a phenomenon that it's sometime or another effects an overwhelming majority. Of human beings on our planet. In fact let me just see a show of hands. How many of you has at some point in your life significant problem. I rest my case. As you may have already noticed we included in your order of service this morning a little blue insert helpful hands. To help you sleep and this practical list is from the university of maryland medical center in baltimore. Dyspraxia. Is designed to help you get a good night sleep and therefore avoid insomnia. And the physical and emotional hazards that come with that. I hope all of you whether you were experiencing sleeping trouble right now in your lives. Or not we'll take this list. And incorporate some of these bits of wisdom. Into your daily rhythm. To make sure you get the rest. Proper to a human being. And by all means let me counsel if these self-help techniques. Don't enable you to get a good night sleep on a regular basis please speak out. Professional medical help there are lots of reputable physicians. And sleep centers all across america and i googled it and there is one here in vero there is asleep here in vero beach. I don't know anything about their quality but they're here. There can be absolutely no doubt the importance of an adequate night sleep. For our health and our homeless as human being. If you google the world the word sleep. Hundreds of scientific articles will pop up seven or eight hours of sleep so used to say less. Staring is it the more of your daily life. Articles written by dr. ivan harris. Define sleep this way. Sleep is defined as a state of unconsciousness. From which a person can be aroused. As opposed to a coma. From which a person. Cannot be aroused. Sleep is an active process he right. Within the brain where new nerve cells. Either stimulate. Different parts of the brain. It serves as a restorative process. Essential for normal human health. Affecting the daily activities and functions of the body systems including. The immune system and most certainly mental health. Sleep is imperative for our nervous system to function properly. Without it our immune system. Would be unable to properly fight infection or endure illness. Then he concludes. Sleep is a basic necessity of life. Like drinking water. Or eating food. We all need sleep to be healthy and two-faced the daily struggles. Of life. Dr. michael rios. On the medical website webmd reports that sleep deprivation. Has broad consequences which affect the quality joy and attendance and safety. Of our lives. Numerous studies conclude failed to get enough sleep on a daily basis. We suffer decrease performance and alertness. We experience memory and cognitive impairment which reduces our ability to think. And remember and process information. We are often unable to enjoy activities. That require sustained attention. Going to the movies. Seeing our grandchildren or children in a school play or watching even a favorite tv show. Relationships with family and friends the scientist. Can be negatively affected by the moodiness and irritability that sleep deprivation often carries with. And when we are sleep deprived. We are much more prone to both occupational and auto indusind injuries. And as if all this isn't dangerous and unpleasant enough. Sleep disorders. Can lead to a whole series of serious medical conditions. Like high blood pressure. Heart attack and stroke. Blood sugar imbalances obesity. And psychiatric problems like depression. Even add. Attention deficit disorder i wouldn't know anything about that. Side of this equation. Psychologists who study reports. The folks who regularly get a good night's sleep are happier and report a much higher sense of well-being. In their lives. Has dr. daniel rights of his study. Getting enough sleep routine lead to a happier. And more emotionally stable life. I know many of you have heard the report and someone email this morning. Which reveals that while the brain sleeps. It clears out harmful toxins. A process that may even reduce our vulnerability to alzheimer's. During sleep this report says. The flow of. Cerebrospinal fluid cerebrospinal fluid. Increases dramatically literally washing away harmful waste proteins. The build-up between brain cells during our waking hours. It's like a dishwasher. Says doctor a professor of neurosurgery at the university of rochester. And then this study adds. The results appear to offer the best explanation yet. Of why animals and people. Need. Sleep. Indeed sleep is so important to us that intentionally depriving someone of it is one of the most effective ways known. To torture. Human being. Literally torture them. Or simply not giving them this delicious simple thing. When president barack obama who is opposed to torture. Took office his administration released a list of the techniques which the dare i say previously somewhat more morally challenged administration. To torture people around the world. Near the top of the list of torture techniques we the american people information from. What's the wickedly simple technique of sleep deprivation. It turns out that our military and cia regularly use sleep deprivation simply forcing the prisoner to stay awake. Which would break both their humanity. And their will. That's how fundamental and important to restorative power of sleep is. We human beings literally cannot maintain our humanity. If we do not regularly receive it. Soldier friends. There's absolutely no question a good night sleep is crucial. To our physical and emotional health. And by the way if you feel sleepy right now resist the temptation. Look. Maybe every once in a while we can sneak. And getting only a few hours of sleep because certain that happens to all of us every once in awhile we have to do a 33-hour night of sleep sometimes. The chronic sleep deprivation. For insomnia which haunts us as an unwelcomed awakeness and awareness while we're in bed trying our hardest to sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation whether it's by choices or buy things we don't seem to be able to control. Has incredibly powerful negative effects on our living. Said positively and now i will use a graphic that i shared with you a couple of years ago when i talked about. Health and balance and living. If we are to lead lives of vitality and alertness and balance and joy. We must. Do everything we can to ensure that sleep gets equal footing. In our lives. Between work and if you're retired by work i meaning of engaging in household tasks or volunteering. Animal leisure logistics leisure logistics. Washing your clothes or taking care of. The simple fact is that each of us. As the stewards and captains of our own lives. Are responsible. To do everything we can to get the sleep we know we need. For our happiness and health. You know smokey the bear used to prevent forest fires well. What i'm reminding you this morning as only you. Can practice the good lifestyle habits that will enable you to get the sleep you and your body and your soul need. And now i've arrived at the spirituality of sleep because i mentioned your soul. I am persuaded that just as our bodies and our minds regularly need as a scientist are telling us. The restoring refreshing balm asleep. So do our spirits and our souls. Let me just a little differently. Without regular an adequate sleep. It is impossible for us to have the kind of deep spiritual relationships. Joy and satisfaction. In life that make life so sacred and satisfying i love charles lares. Simple poem. Which eludes too many of sleeps. Deep and holy places listen to his poem. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Magnificent sleep. Cradles me like. A mother holding her newborn for the first time. I close my eyes and feel the warm sensation of precious pure. Sleep. Immortal sleep outside. A mixed-up world. Sweet vanilla scent. From dreams of beauty holding me forever brings me everything i need. To say. Sleep. Lee. Sleep. So sleep each night carries us into the deep and dark and holy embrace. Of unconscious rest. And how do we human beings. Connect with life deep and holy places when we are awake. Things like the beauty of nature how do we connect with the glory of love the blessing of. The depths of satisfaction naturally reside. Connect up with these things the answer of course i think is primarily mindfulness. Everyday mindfulness. The ability everyday. And the practice everyday of pain purposeful attention. To the world and persons that are always close at hand and ready to blast. As we wake from sleep every morning it must be profound the obvious. But if we do not receive enough of the restoring balm of sleep. Those seven or eight hours a day when we loosen our grip. All the demands and the. If you don't get enough. Of that timeout. We will focus our attentions. A nature. And on our family and our friends our neighbors and our co-workers and the endless. Richness of this world that is so desperate to come into us through our senses of smell and hearing. Touch. Lock the spiritual. Truth. Is it a tired person is a distracted person. And the distracted person. Eeyore spiritually focused. On the textures. And the opportunities of life that lie all around him or her. I distracted person is a zombie. Apparently zombies are very popular these days in the tv when we don't get enough sleep. When i was researching this sermon. The writings of one self-proclaimed. I was bragging about his prodigious and deep spirituality. Who did in fact boast in this article that because of his tireless devotion. One hour of sleep a day. Which 23 hours a day to the pure. Communion with god. I don't mean to contradict. Such a pure guru. But honestly this seems like a lot of self. Diluting. Tumi. I do not believe that any human being wired as we are universally for both. A mixture of physical and mental activity and physical and mental rest and the scientists are proving this to us. That we can properly function. Physically mentally or spiritually. Or even three or four or five hours of sleep a day. Sleep. Is essential if we are to experience when we wake each morning. The kind of mindfulness that will really allow us to engage the world. As we were meant to engage we were not put on this earth to stumble. True life. Sleep. Walking distracted. Zombies that's not what we were made for by the stuff of god. We were made to be awake. And to really see. This amazing world. And there's even another way to understand the holiness and importance of sleep. In the talmud. The ancient jewish scriptures it is written. That are active hours of human beings must be proceeded with what they call the minor death. Asleep. The minor death. Asleep. Leader. Besito it's lubavitcher lubavitcher rebbe. Explain this. I just love this. If we didn't sleep tomorrow. Seamless. Our every thought and deed will be the outgrowth of all of our previous thoughts and deeds therefore without sleep. In our lives. Puerto rico. And then the jewish writer yonke tober reflects. Sleep means that we have the capacity. Improve. But also to transcend ourselves. To open a new chapter in life. Or until now. Sleep enables us he goes on. To free ourselves of yesterday's constraints and build a new recreated self. He concludes. God creates the world knew every millisecond. And if we are god's partner in creation. As the talmud says we are. We should be able to do that recreation at least once a day. Wake up tomorrow and start anew and then the rabbi noah weinberg. Completes this.. Never treat sleep. As an end unto itself. Don't look at sleep. As a reward for a hard day's work. Sleep gives you a chance to become re-energized in your life. Look at sleep as a way to recharge your batteries. For a blessed. New day. Of growth. I love. The spiritual idea which the jewish tradition gives. But the simple act of sleeping each night functions in our lives. Wonderful restful cycle. To create an us the regular new beginnings. Has to become fully and finally human. Surely there is not one person in this room this morning. How many evenings. Going to bed. Feeling somewhat battered and burdened by all the stresses and strains. The complications and challenges we've had to face. In our waking hours. Only to awaken the next morning. Feeling rested and restored with fresh energy. To the duties and demands to which we must return. It is not of course it's sleep somehow magically takes away. All of the challenges and complications of our lives. The state of sleep not only nasty proteins out of our system. We are. We are on we are rendered unconscious during sleep and therefore first horse to loosen. Our grip on all the adjutant and irritation. It's a timeout. And at that time out often. Makes us feel reborn now. I will grant you that sometimes our dreams. During our sleeping hours reflect our subconscious. On the life. Issues that confront us some nights are dreams unfortunately are filled. With both the dramas and the worries that have preoccupied. When we are awake i won't even begin to tell you about most of the anxiety dreams i have about being a minister but the night before last i had a dream. I was about to preach and i left the house. Work it was about to start. There's a little. Pretty smart. Nonetheless. Dreaming mostly is a is a is a wonderful and and cured of things sleep. Even with the occasional dizziness and complications insists that our bodies and our souls. Set aside all the michigan's of life. So that we can begin again so dear friends. Please do not foolishly regard sleep. As some pointless. Unconscious trivial part. Xavier 24-hour day that you simply have to get through. That is apparently what my sermon critic linda back in bethesda thought of sleep. Think of sleep rather. As a holy gift. A full human being. A simple and holy gift. A human being that by mercifully. Releasing us if just for a while from all the michigan house of waking life. Enables us to be reborn each morning. And be present to the full richness of our days once again. I take it on faith as i have said already in this sermon. Then we were not meant. To stumble through our lives. Enjoy us and seamless drudgery we were not put on this earth for that. Life for us was rather meant to be a grand adventure. A purpose and that's what life was meant to be. Where each morning we wake me embrace life and persons with as much energy and enthusiasm and joyous kara's weekends. Cherish. And protect. And nourish your sleep nurture your sleep and again i gave you a little blue hand out. The script tells you some of the ways to do that. For sleep. Whispers life. Into the ear. Of your soul sleep. Whispers life. Into the ear. Of your soul and is the harbinger. Of the sweet and holy day. That is about. To don. And i saying mean. Restfully. Amman. And i send you on your way with this words of a spiritual body and the congregation of abraxas. Sweet spirit of sleep. Who brings peace and rest to weary bodies. Emptiness of aches and pains. For we struggle as thieves. Through unyielding earth. Bring us to the timeless nature of your presents. The endless void of our slumber. Make us aware of the work we can do. Well in your time. Make us to know our dreaming. We're past and future are reconciled. Let us honor sleep. Sleeve of care. The death of each day's life. Labor's bath. Balm of hurt minds. Great nature's. Second course. Cheap nourisher. Of life feast. Going peace. Sleep well tonight.

uufvb_org

2014Jul13Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. And welcome to a bright and beautiful summer day. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we're so glad you've chosen to be with us this morning. We are congregation of open minds. Loving hearts. And helping hands. Shipping seeking to become our. Best selves even as we work together to make a better world. Please know that you are welcome. Just as you come to us this morning. Whether you're young or old gay or straight. Black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What do you have a ged or a phd. Whether you're a visitor this morning where you been a member here for decades and whether you're feeling on top of the world or maybe down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We're delighted to see you just as you come to us with all your particular at&t need. We hope you're going to find this service meaningful and enriching and that you'll find something here this morning that nourishes your spirit. And feed your soul. And gives you renewed energy and joy. For the living of life. In the days and the weeks ahead of us. So kind of in the spirit of taoism. Here are my opening words. Welcome all questioning minds. Welcome all hungry hearts. Welcome all opening hands. Welcome to those of you who know. Or think you know. Welcome those of you who don't know. Or don't. No. You know. Welcome those of you who wish you didn't know whatever it is you know. Welcome those of you who want to know more. Welcome to those of you who think somebody else knows more than you do. And i say this one with special affection. Welcome to those of you who forgotten what you want snoo. Welcome. In the spirit of the great unknown. And unknowable. When scott. Ask me to do this this summer and then said that what he understood was that you all wanted a serious one world religions. I said will could you identify a few people in the congregation who had some experience with each of those religions. Because i'd like them to participate in the service and so this morning i'm delighted at bonnie howard is sharing the service. And we'll do a sharing this morning. Good morning. Taoism. What stages of said about dow. Is it nothing can be said about it. The dow is something for mostly fashion. Before heaven and earth existed. Pervading connecting. Encompassing all things. We have this heaven within us. And to unite with dell. We need only look inside. Dial. The way. Represents both the source and the driving force behind everything. It's both a noun and a verb. Not just simply being. But rather one of action. Do identify with the dow one must be free. From selling war. And the slaughter of animals. Living in absolute simplicity. And possibly refusing to assert authority over one another. Or over nature. Peace cannot be attained by war. And aggressively creating enemies. Enriching our nation. Wesoo weaponry to 138 countries. Perpetuating enormous blood profits. And fear. Dial. Presents a path to peace. Correcting misperceptions through understanding and compassion. Acknowledging our shared father creator. The doctrine of one god was part of early chinese religions and the dow contain the most monotheistic truth. Intertwined with taoism throughout history is chi gong. Representing nature with slow gentle movements. Keeping the body fluid and flexible. Coordinating physical emotional and spiritual energies the practitioner becomes a line. With universal flow. Considering their enormous population qi gong is supported by chinese government. Wisely preventing. Profit first. Medical interventions. Practical and responsible ways to live are encouraged. Preserving health. Leading to immortality. The principles of taoism inspired me to begin she gone classes at the welcoming uu fellowship. Which is having a blessed impact on my life. In many realms. I'm finding it less appealing to eat. The ignored violence. On my dinner plate. Orchard support killing in any form. The dow teaches me to value. And embrace all of life's fully. Dial wants to work through me and you. To set aside selfishness and orient ourselves with the universal will. To benefit all of humankind. Join with me. In eating from god's table in such a way that supports planetary health. And together. May we nurture the true and effective path. Two-piece. I bow. The indescribable doll. Well according to tradition. Allowed sue was born on a farm in henan province in 604. Before the common era. His name means the old master. After a long career at the court of the emperor. Lobster became disgusted with court life and resigned. And then according to legend. He decided to flee society for the unknown west. Riding in a cart drawn by two black oxen. Lotso came to a border outpost. And they're so the story goes. The gatekeeper recognize the sage and begged him to stay long enough to write down. The main points of his philosophy. Lotso agreed and in a few days he can pose without touching. The bible of taoism. And then he vanished over the mountain pass. Never to be seen again. The teachings that he left behind. More quiet. And gentle. As he was. A simple man. Content to let the laws of nature. Carry him peacefully through life. And from this chart. Lotsa always insisted. That it was impossible. To give. His faith. And exact. Description. A dialog that legend says took place between lotsa and his contemporary confucius began. We have a little time today said confucius. May i ask you what is. The great doll. Do this lawsuit replied. Give a ceremonial bath to your mind. Cleanse your spirit. Throw away your sage wisdom. Dial is dark and elusive. Difficult. To describe. Well there's no way that i'm going to challenge love so on that one this morning might ask rather is to try to explain. Not explain taoism. Or fidel. But what i'm going to do today and in the whole series is to try to share with you that particular gifts that that tradition in this case taoism. Has given to my life and understanding. And of all this five that i've planned for this summer. This is actually the most awkward one for me. Because of the traditions that will be looking at taoism is really the only one with which i have. No first-hand experience. While i've been around unitarian universalists and others who have found meaning in taoist concepts and ideas. I've neither spoken directly with a taoist or experienced a living taoist culture. So what you're going to hear from me is seriously limited by the fact that i'm just looking through a window. I have not been. In the house. I think we probably have to start with some kind of common understanding of the word. It is as bonnie began to describe considered the ultimate reality that underlies all things. Similar to the core concepts of most religions. We can try to talk about the doll but ultimately it is. Indefinable. It seems to have. 3. Essential parts. Transcendence. Eminence. And. Practical implications for living. Dial is all three at the same time. It is ultimate reality. The source. Of mystery. And. The ground of existence. Dial is the ordering principle in life. The rhythm of the universe. The driving power in nature. And. Dial is the way in which we all interact. In harmony. Like some of the words in the first him. Dow is dynamic always moving always changing a process. Rather. Then a static. Idea. My first gift from taoism are the twin concepts of yin and yang. I suspect that i first heard these concepts in high school. But i don't think that i really engaged with the concepts with any real understanding until some years later. For dulles movement. Is. Ultimately cyclical. Moving from one pole. To its opposite. And back again in constant interplay. Balance. Is maintained. By the constant flow of vital energy or. She has it is called. Yen. And ian. Represent the two poles or forces. Manifest in every aspect of our lives. The flow of movement within a circle. Or cycle. Now yang is traditionally associated with such ideas is. Masculine. Paternal. Bright. Firm. Above. Heaven. Active. Movement. Rational. Clear. Warm. Dry. Positive. So if you've ever seen. Tai chi. This is the. Yang yin is associated with the opposite concepts. Feminine. Maternal. Dark. Yielding. Below. Earth. Receptive. Rest. Intuitive. Complex. Cool. Moist. + -. Soyeon. Yang is the strong creative action of the ruler. Yen is the quiet. Contemplatively stillness. Of the sage. And even the body. Is seen as yin and yang. The body surface is in. Well the inside is yang. The front is he in. Well the back is yang. Each organ. Is either yin or yang. The concept became so important to me that i took the familiar yin-yang symbol and had it added to a ring that i began wearing over 30 years ago. And i'm only not wearing it now. Because i need to have it resized again. The ring is in fact. Very old. A simple band of rose gold it was my paternal grandmother's wedding ring. And i never met her. She died of. Pneumonia 1924 when my father was barely six years old. But i've always felt a strong connection with her. And when my father gave me her wedding band is a gift. I knew that i would always wear it. Though i had to size it down. All those years ago. It does continue to have her initials inside. And i had the yin-yang symbol added to the band. From the beginning. I trust that you're all familiar with the symbol that i'm talking about. Symbols of circle all-embracing representing the flow of doll. Within the circle there are two equal parts. One dark. One light that seem to balance each other. And i. More. .. I deliberately wore my world religions. Dallas symbol here. They are each part of the necessary whole. Often times we speak of these two principles as opposites when what we really want to talk about is the idea of polarity. Polarity suggest. But both ends are necessary to the continuance of the whole. Opposition on the other hand has tended to imply judgement. But one must overcome the other. Life struggling against death and so on. Most of the time when we think of these two principles yin and yang as opposites. We tend to want to cultivate one. And rid ourselves of the other. Western. Technology places out beautifully for us in our efforts to make the world a better place. To provide pleasure. Without pain. Wealth without poverty. Health without illness. Good without evil. Much of western culture. Literally celebrates this illusion. Dial westview this is kind of a crazy enterprise it's a bit like thinking of a current without both positive and negative poles. If one disappears. The whole system goes. The dow is fuse them simply as different aspects of the same essential system. While they are not opposed. They do exist intention. And thus. Keep the system dynamic. Another is a second point to notice about the yin-yang symbol. Within the light form. There is a small. Dark point. And when did dark form. There is a small light point. This expresses the basic truth that within each pole. Exist the seed of its contrary. Within death. Is the seed. Of rebirth. With in winter. Is the seed of summer. While we celebrate the idea of new life with the coming of spring. The dow is celebrates at the beginning of winter time. Because they're in hibernates. Proceed. Of new birth. In many ways i find this a deeply pastoral idea. With great potential to offer strength. In a time of distress or suffering. Beginning yawn constantly rouse and retire each other. As one aspect reaches fullness the other. Is simply gathering its own potential. And will soon emerge. And it's important to note that yin and yang are mutually generative. And supportive they are. Interdependent. Is alan watts once said they represented explicit. Duality expressing an implicit. Unity. These dual concepts have made their way into the language of our culture. But so i think has been a great deal of a misunderstanding about what they actually are. Take for example our understanding of masculine and feminine. Too often i think we lose sight of this fundamentalist dallas understanding. That masculine and feminine are two necessary parts of a whole. Equal. And balanced. Mutually generative. And that each contains apart. Of the other. So as gift to me from dallas is the concept of will we. A guide for living in tune with the interdependent web. Well we has been translated as both non-aggressive action. And. Creative. Quietude. It's both activity. And relaxation and the balance between them. It's not forcing. It's just. Going. With the flow. Whoo-wee is based on the belief that true creativity comes only when the resources of the inner self are released. And for that to happen. The surface cell for the conscious mind must let go. Nothing can be forced. Private egos and conscious efforts must yield to a higher power. To the flow of the eternal law of the dow. Once in tune with doubt harmonious behavior. Will spontaneously follow. And thus will we praises yielding. Simplicity and economy. Spontaneity. And the sense of wonder. Relativity. And proportion. Action follows being. New wiser and stronger action. Will follow new weiser. And stronger being. The real secret. Of what we. Is seeking out the empty spaces in life and nature. And then. Moving through them. Changshu tells a wonderful story of a butcher. Who's clever did not get dull. For twenty years. When asked how he managed this the butcher said. Between the bones. Every joint. There is always some space. Otherwise there could be no movement. By seeking out this space and passing through it. Mike leaver lays why the bones. Without. Touching them. For me. This is a little something like what happens in meditation. Seeking out the spaces between heartbeats. Or between breaths. And being present to that place. Letting ourselves expand out into that. Or for any of you like me who play a wind instrument. Remembering the importance of paying attention to the space between notes. And keeping the flow of air steady as onenote. Turns into another. Dallas reject all forms of self-assertiveness and competition. The axe falls first on the tallest tree they would say. They have no use for aggressive acts toward others or nature. Even in the martial arts. Well we is the guiding philosophy. Yield. To an aggressor. And let the forceful energy be turned around on itself like a boomerang. Our unitarian universalist seventh principle. Respect for the interdependent web of existence. For me captures the essence of willoughby. Nature is not something. Apart. Or other from us. Something to be control. Or dominated. The scaling of mount everest for example is still and always referred to as the conquest. The conquest of everest. Dallas would speak rather of befriending. Everest. For that is the essence of how one should regard nature. The approach is psychological inorganic. The world is viewed as inseparable from the self. Not as something to be pursued. Or run from. With will we. The whole art of life. Becomes a process of navigation. Rather than one of warfare. Learning the currents and seasons. And cycles. So that our actions move with them. Rather than fighting them. Both of these concepts will we and yin yang. Have roots in the third gift to my life. The text that we call the teaching or book of changes. More than 3000 years old. The itching represents one of the earliest and most comprehensive efforts of the human mind. To understand itself in relation to the universe. Originally it was a book of oracles. What does series of lines representing all that happens in heaven in earth. The lines arranged into 1/8 basic trigrams of straight and broken lines which are then come born combine to form sixty-four hexagrams. The lines are not static but represent movements and processes. And the ever-changing nature of things. So out of curiosity. Have any of you ever used yarrow sticks or flipped three pennies in the air to form your hexagram and. Consult the wisdom of itching. Really. Only a few a couple of you. Well through the years i've done this many times looking for guidance when i'm confused. As well as seeing if i can discern movement and potential next steps in response. And the last gift of dollars into my own life has been the discipline of tai chi. The chinese word means energy breath. Vital force. It is a force of life itself. The poet dylan thomas rotoviz the force that through the green fuse drives the flower. Tai chi is an ancient series of forms the body moves through. As a way of incarnating. The essence and spirit of the doll. Of the yin-yang and movie. More than just a series of movements it is a way of life. For example the. Tai chi chuan sequence begins with a posture called rooting. Rooting is an effort. To develop a relationship with the ground. That goes beyond just balance. It's a feeling of being connected to the earth like a tree. It's a downward magnetism that makes the body both stable. And powerful so when we begin. We begin. Rooted. Balanced. Relaxed when you see it before you ever get to hear. Making sure you feel that connection. I first started tyshea 1973 learning what it's called the short young form. And for the next decade i moved through the yang postures every morning. Enchanted. Centered by the beauty and flow of the movements. And then for some reason i stopped. But happily found it again through a taoist tai chi teacher when i was serving in tarpon springs last. During my high school and college years i used to teach swimming. And i had a way that i always like to begin teaching people to swim which i now regard is very dullest. At that time. Much of the thinking was to get the person in the water over their head. And let them flail about. Learning what they could. In fact. Just trying to keep themselves above water. I never use that approach. I thought it was rather violent. I would have people simply stand in waist-high water. And begin to gently move their arms. True the water. Paying attention. To the softly. Exquisite. Sensuous feel. Of a limb. Moving through water. What i was doing was inviting the person to become aware of their own bodies and the feeling of moving in the water. So that water. Would become a source of beauty and comfort. Rather than fear. We would do this actually four days before ever. Lifting off in a stroke. In a way i think those early movements. Wear something like doing tai chi in the water. Anti chi however the movements are through the air. The body moving harmoniously and deliberately through the empty spaces. Acting without forcing. Moving with a natural flow. And you move. Very. Slowly. When you move that slowly see. You become more aware the subtleties of movement. And how you stand in relation. To your surroundings. The great. Well we. Honoring the doll. The interdependent colorizing polarities of yin and yang. The flow of the life force called she. Out of quiet and peace. Movement. Like ripples of water. All-embracing. Well. Here's what i did yesterday. I sat down and thought about you all. And i decided to throw the itching. And ask. If there might be some wisdom it could offer. For your. Future. I don't really know you as a congregation but i thought i would hold that thought. And see what came up. And what came up was number 61. Junk food or. Inner truth. And i'm going to read to you from a commentary. What hexagram number 61 is all about. Pigs and fishes. Good fortune. This hexagram is about dealing with evil and others through the power of inner truth. Pigs and fishes. Refer to the stubborn qualities of a person's ego. The buildup of inner power. Through clinging to what is right must be very great. Japan a trade through. Inner truth comes to power when we disperse all prejudice and make ourselves receptive. Through such receptivity. We gain the help. Of their imprisoned superior self. This power can be maintained as long as we do not waver. Whenever our inner attitude is defective our influence is flight. When we are fearful. We will be attacked. When we barricade the unknown with structured explanations. Room for insight into new knowledge is shutout. When we vacillate on a polding our principles we will be tested. But when we are firm and strong. The power of inner truth breaks through even to the most obdurate minds. Inner truth. Is the accumulated power. Of spiritual experience. Because inner truth is firmly placed. It can be felt at the distance of 1000 miles. It even penetrates through. Two pigs. And fishes. You will know how that night. Reply. Tara life as a congregation. Invite you to consider it. And now go in peace. Go making peace. Live. Kindly. Love michael. View the world through the eyes of compassion. And with a global heart. And always spell. To the mystery.

uufvb_org

2010Aug15sermon32.mp3

uufvb_org

2015Nov01Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach. My name is bonnie shelton i'm a member of this congregation. And we're so glad that you've decided to join us this morning. We are congregation of open minds. Loving hearts. And helping hands. We're people try to be our best selves. Even as we work together to make a better world. Please know that you are welcome no matter how you come to us today. Whether you're young or old. Gay or straight black or white. Or some wonderful shade of humanity. On top of the world or down in the dumps or somewhere in between we welcome you just as you come to us this morning. We hope you'll find a service meaningful and enriching. And that you'll find something this morning that feeds your spirit. And gives you energy for the year ahead. Morning. Opening words. For my dear art company. We are all visitors in this house. We come bringing different dreams and experiences different skills and needs. By sharing these differences we find greater strength. And renewed hope. So it is good to be here to share this our together. But sharing involves more than just our presents. It means being willing willing to listen as well as to speak. But when you speak. You give something of yourself. Two others. And when you listen. You receive from others the gift. Open opportunity. To learn. But so true. We are all visitors on this planet we call our home. We inherited it from the generations who have preceded us here. And we have the responsibility of passing it on to those who will follow. There is wisdom in the old campers saying. Leave the campsite better than you found it. May it be here in this house. That together we covenant to do all we can as a group. And as individuals to do just that. To leave this earth. Better than we found it. So. Welcome. We are both honored. And uplifted by your presence with us here. Today. Cherish your doubts for doubt is the attendant of truth. I believe which may not be questioned. Barnes is 2 era. For there is incompleteness and imperfection in every belief. Let no one fear the truth. But don't make consuming. Is a testing of belief. It is not shaping biochemistry. For truth. If it be true. Arises from each testing. Stronger. More secure. But those who fear not doubt i know its use. Are founded on rock. Adore. Therefore let us not feared out but let us rejoice. And it helped. Today we have a unique service. It's the last sermon written by the late art compton who was a longtime leader of this congregation. Arts sermon will be read by a current congregational leader. Paul amaral. Paul has been a member for 12 years and currently is on both the worship and bridges committees. Hey scientific minds journey. To that far-off place. Call universal. Unitarianism. Written by art compton. November. 2000. 14. Good morning. I want to share with all of you somebody has that i have already shared with some of you. Because as i grow older i find myself increasingly surprised. That i am here with you. Essentially every sunday. Except during the summer months. To explain that. I have clarified some things for myself and now i want to let you know. Where i think. I'm coming from. There's nothing in my family background to explain any particular interest in or affiliation with. Any formal religious practices. One thing. When i was young my father during the pre-war and warriors. Was far too busy and away too much of the time to spend an hour a week for church. But more importantly for him i suspect. Was that in his mind religion went much much deeper than that which went on in churches. For him. Effective religion was very personal. And inside himself. Anyway i've always thought him to have been. About the most profoundly religious human being i have ever known. And here i am affected lee. And literally. Coding a good number of his greater boston. Washington and foreign colleagues. And friends. What i am suggesting is that for him. Actions were far more compelling. Then codified professions of faith. And as a partial result of his sense of privacy. There was essentially nothing. And my childhood to it's still in me any sense of commitment to or interest in. Formal religious observances. So how did i get here. And why am i here. I guess that is the question i want to share with you this morning. In a way it isn't what happens here. It is what happens inside me. Because i am. I am here. It is what i do because i have been here. It's not what i believe that matters. But what i do because i believe. So let me explain what i am. Which is why i am here. And to do that let me share some personal history. A long time ago my german mennonite grandmother visited my family during a christmas holiday. My grandmother never understood her oldest son's apparent neglect of all the religious insights. She and his philosopher father had tried to instill in him. And being frustrated by his apparent indifference to things religious she finally asked him. Sun. Don't you ever pray. I cannot forget my father's answer. Mother. I pray. In everything i do. It seems to me as i think back on the crux of that interplay it was not about religious implications of faith or spiritual observances. It had to do with different concepts of what it meant to pray. I believe to this day. That my grandmother never quite understood. That she. And her oldest son. Simply started. With very. Assumptions. She was not uneducated. In fact. She is recorded as having received the first advanced degree. Ever bestowed on a woman by the state universities of ohio. But essentially. She was a religiously raised wife and mother. While her son was a practicing research physicist. One found truth in face. The other found truth. Inexperienced. Young jess. One of my early sermons in this fellowship ask the question. Is. Truth. I hope i have not done either my grandmother or my father it is serviced by suggesting that i know what motivated them and their beliefs. But having raised the issue i should be willing to ask myself the same question. Where do i find truth. And here i'm afraid that my scientific experience has been far more persuasive. Then my religious. Intuitions. So i begin by suggesting to myself at least. That religions tend to be firmly mixed up with concepts like god or faith. But i have never found any compelling evidence that there is any definable entity. I'm willing to call god. And when it comes to concepts like faith. I have to ask. Who's faith. And based on what evidence. Or let me be a bit more honest perhaps my experiences in the sciences have resulted in some basic form of in a reluctance to accept this valid anything that has almost persistently failed throughout history. To produce the kind of persuasively uniting. And positively humane results that i have to believe humankind and all religions theoretically strive to achieve. On the other hand. One of the key characteristics of the natural sciences. Is that while any individual scientist can be as focused and prejudiced. Blind or narrow-minded as any other human being. The community of scientists has shown an almost unique capacity over time. To let go of ideas. Laws. Procedures and practices. That continuously fail to produce. Helpful results. In that in that sense science as a process is both. Self-directing and self-correcting overtime. As a result outmoded ideas and practices disappear. And become but amusing footnotes to the history of human existence. Afterall it hardly matters to today's science the joseph priestley. That noble unitarian universalist philosopher and scientist. Went to his death insisting on the validity of the fellow justin theory of combustion. I will repeat that. They followed just on theory of combustion. A theory that had already long been discarded because of overwhelming experimental evidence that it was wrong. We still give old joseph credit for some fine largely accidental contributions to chemistry. But laugh a little self-consciously perhaps. At that particular stubbornness that set him against all scientific evidence. And almost every other scientists of his day. In contrast to this overly brief review of the evolutionary nature of chemistry. Look at the history of the world's religions. Experience. Because what i see in those history. Is a record of almost inflexible adherence to ideas. And practices. That have almost always proven more divisive than unifying. Exclusive than inclusive. Antagonistic then reassuring. In short. In my view. Those friendly held beliefs have proven to be a failure. As an ultimate service. To humankind. Yet. We keep on clinging to. Let me remind you. Let me remind you. I have been a science teacher. Not a scientist. But as some of you know i come from a family that included three scientists and a daughter who became a missionary's wife in india. Free scientist in the family allstate at home except in wartime. So my family's friends were largely fellow scientists and their families. As a child i was just surrounded by scientist educators. And despite the stereotype they all seem to be wholesomely human and indeed. Normal. In addition to that my first and happily also my last girlfriend was a practicing biologist. And many was the time i drove 1000 miles for a weekend date. Only to find that she and i had to spend our brief time together. Counting the newly hatched fruit flies that were the subject of her research. One of the things this childhood background taught me. What that it is the process. Not the content. The process. That is important. And which has made the scientific enterprise. One of humankind's most powerful. Unsuccessful. Experience. This meant that i have believed strongly that the power exemplified in the scientific process. Boulder far better for the ultimate peaceful future for humankind. Then did the stubborn beliefs and practices. Up to many. Of the world's religions. In short. I have always had trouble with concepts like god. And yes also the concept. A religion. With a capital r. But there are some characteristics that many people associate with their gods or religions that i can and do except. With good and strong scientifically-based. Belief. One thing that most religious people consider central to their face. Is that some things are. Eternal. And surely one of the things science has firmly and repeatedly confirm experimentally. Is that there is much in the universe that is eternal. And many of the most faithful also believe in some sort of afterlife. A life eternal. At least for the true believers. This inevitably suggests that death as we define it medically may not necessarily be. The end. It may not even be an end. It is a change. And the change that implies that some aspect of life will continue. And yes. Science confirms this to. At the trivial level are atoms exist after we depart. And statistics confirm that some of george washington's atoms. Exist in me. Even as some of my children adams. May exist in your grandchildren. Yes. There is matter that continues. But what can we say about the spirit. The concept. Spirit. Is outside my experience. Yes the ancient greek philosophers spoke about life spirits. I believe they were four of them. But those ideas faded as more became known about anatomy. So maybe the word spirit is the problem here. But i am still confident that there is something of my father in me. Other than just some adams and jeans. And maybe the word spirit can be used. Until we learn. More. But what else in the world might be considered eternal. Let me resort to a metaphor. After all. Scientists often think and speak in metaphors. As do philosophers of religion. At the end of the service. We will extinguish our chalice in the flame will go out. But what happens to the light. Does it go out. It does not go out. It flies off into space at very high velocity until it hits something. When it hits some of it may be absorbed and reappear in a new form of energy. Heat. But some may bounce off until it to gets absorbed and change into a different form. Does. In a very real way the light from our chalice is eternal. And the proof is not found in a holy book. Or in our deepest faith. This proof is founded. Buy direct. Scientific evidence. And that evidence should be just as comfortably a part of our understanding. Has any. Religious belief. But there is a difference. This scientific. Proof. Is repeatable. And reproducible. And it has been confirmed over and over and over again. And no reputable physicist today. Which spend much time or energy. Trying to disprove this law. Of the conservation. Energy. And therein of course lies one of the potential dangers in the scientific process. Our faith in what we think we know with certainty. May prevent us from even trying to search. Further. Or more deeply. In the vero beach art museum auditorium. There are often little messages projected before a presentation. One of these messages states that the enemy of learning is. Knowledge. Think about this for a moment. It reminds me of a saying by my scientific hero. Michael faraday. The man who was sure he is right. Is almost certain to be wrong. And has the added misfortune. Open evitable. Remainings. That from arguably the greatest experimental scientist of all time. But being eternals not the only excuse for believing in a supreme being or is it free. There's also the question of directions. Which is sometimes confused with the question of creativity. And hayden's. Recreation. Must there not be something that gives existence meaning and direction. Someone say yes. And call that something. God. And their faith. Is that god is central to what they consider to be at the center of their religion. What capital r. Others will waffle. And call it intelligent design. I prefer to explain this form of progress. As resulting from a combination of three. Well substantiated laws of nature. The conservation of mass-energy. The second law of thermodynamics. And the heisenberg uncertainty principle. I'm not certain about the house. Every change found in in miley's biology experiments can be explained by an interaction among those three laws. As can the fact that we now find insects that are immune to the pesticide that used to destroy them. I do not know how these three laws came to be. But nothing whatever is accomplished. By trying to explain one set of inexplicable ideas by inventing even more inexplicable and unverifiable explanations. I prefer to seek explanations that we know and can verify and hence understand. Others may want to call it and god. And if they could get rid of the anthropomorphic implications of that word. I might be willing to listen to them. Now. What in the world has all of this to do with my journey to unitarian universalist. Obviously these admission suggest that i am still wrestling with the fruits of my scientific experiences. Am i need to find a spiritual home. But all my earlier experiences and things theological or spiritual. Left me feeling dissatisfied. And intellectually confined. Still four years i signed the hymns and recited the chance that spoke with such apparent eloquent. To those episcopalian require i and my family had joined. No i never join that church but compton's made up two-thirds of their choir for years. I have never had any difficulty singing hymns and anthems that involve religious philosophies with which i cannot agree. How can i justify this to myself. By refusing to diminution anyway. The extraordinary contributions made by those whose timeless musical creations were motivated by their religious faith. When i sync their anthems i honor their creativity. And i respect. The religious fervour that inspired them. To create music that has survived to thrill. Encourage and uplift. The human spirit. I still sing those anthems and love singing every one of them. And i can do so in part because here and this spiritual home. I find myself. Free. Free to live with and adhere to my own convictions and beliefs. And so here i can still enjoy all that old music. But here in this place i have so much more. Then just intellectual and emotional freedom. For here. I can see a whole new world out there just waiting for me to reach out and grab. In short. This beloved community has set. Me. Free. Has nothing in my life has. Except possibly. The lady who introduced me to this faith. In the first place. But there's far more than just music and freedom that i have found here. A long time ago my mother asked one of the criminals sociologists of that time. What he thought the human race would have to become if it were to survive. After a few moments she gave his answer. Humans would have to evolve. Pass being. Homo. Erectus. And way beyond just being homo sapiens. They would have to become homo philanthropist. And i think i have found homo philanthropists. Right here. At you you. No we may not yet have got their genetically. But what i have found here and this phone has come closer to what that scholar urged us to become. Then anything else i have ever found anywhere else. And that is why i am here. I got here because someone i wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Brought me by the hand. To the first unitarian society of exeter new hampshire. And i am still here. Because she was right. Here is where the real. Practical and effective action is. And i want to be part of that action. I'm reminded of a harvard professor of physics in a good friend. Would come to mit for a year as i junk professor. At a scientific conference at mit he whispered in my ear. It was so nice at last to be part of an institution. That was doing things. Rather than just working. All writing about. Well now i know exactly what he meant. Because here i am with people. Who not only believe. But also no. That it is our very diversity. That gives us the incentive. Strength. And the imagination. To reach. For unreachable. To reach for unreachable. Where we are free to explore the implications and mysteries of our own questions. About to creative. The eternal. Andy important. And everything that goes on here. Urges us to do. This has been my journey. Have you thought about your journey recently. If you have or if you will then we can move on together to all that humankind. One in understanding. 1in respect. 1 in love. And one. In short. We can be part of a world where diversity provide strength. Not empty. Joy. Not anger. Hope. It may not happen in our time. But it can. And it can never happen until someone. Someone. Takes some bold. Unfaltering steps. I believe that we here and this community. Should be. And indeed already are. A significant part of that. Someone. And that is why. This scientific mind has found. In this. Not so very far off place. Call. Unitarian. So it has been for me. What. The closing words. We're written in 1727. Sir isaac newton. I do not know what i may appear to the world. But to myself. I seem to have been only. Like a boy playing on the seashore. And diverting myself and now and then finding another pebble. Or prettier sheldon ordinary. Why the great ocean of truth. Play all. Undiscovered. The for me. Go in peace. Going love.

uufvb_org

2014Apr20Sermon128.mp3

Well good morning. It's a little gray this easter morning but that should remind you that easter is really not about weather. What about the human heart. Welcome to this easter morning service to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach and we are so glad you. Chosen to be with us this morning we are current gation of open minds loving hearts and helping hand people seeking to become. Our best individual selves even is together we work to make a better world and please know that you are welcome just as you come to us. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What do you have a ged or a phd. What do you want a visitor for the first time this morning or have been here for decades. Whether you were feeling on top of the world or down in the dumps or somewhere in between we welcome you just as you come to us this morning. We hope you will find our service meaningful and enriching. And you'll find something here this easter morning. The nurse uses spirit. And feed your soul and gives you renewed energy and zest. For the living of life in the days ahead. 20th century unitarian poet cummings calls us to worship this morning he wrote. I thank you god for most this amazing day for the leaping greenly spirits of trees. And the blue true dream of sky in for everything. Which is natural. Which is infinitely. Which is yes. I who have died i'm alive again today and this is the son's birthday this is the birthday of life and of love and wings and of the gay great happening and limitedly earth. How should tasting touching hearing seeing breathing any. Lifted from the no of all nothing. Merely human merely being unimaginably you. And now the ears of my ears awake. I know the odds of my eyes are opened. My favorite american poet who is also my next door neighbor in provincetown massachusetts mary oliver. Is easter poem. Entitled. Messenger. My work. Is loving the world. Here are the sunflowers they are the hummingbird equal seekers of sweetness. Here's a quickening east they're the blue plums. Hear the clam deep in the speckled sam. Are my boots old. Is my coat torn. Am i no longer young. And still not have perfect. Let me keep my mind on what matters. Which is my work. Which is mostly standing still. And learning to be. Astonished. Phoebe the delphinium. The sheep in the pasture. And the pasture. Which is mostly rejoicing since all the ingredients are here. Which is gratitude. To be given a mine. And the heart. And these body close. A mouth with which to give shouts of joy. To the moth. And the wren. And the sleepy doug up clam. Telling them all over and over. How it is. That we live. So just after easter last year a ministerial colleague of mine sent me an email with a fun story that i want to share with you right off the bat this morning. It seems the last easter sunday in a packed evangelical church in rural tennessee. The erstwhile young minister called the kids up in front on the sanctuary to talk about the meaning of easter. He asked the assembled youngsters. Who can tell me what the resurrection is. After several moments of awkward silence the six-year-old boy in the crowd finally tenderly raised his hand and offered. Well. I'm not sure but i know and if it lasts for more than four hours you better call a doctor i understand it was 10 minutes before the service could resume. Now i hesitated to tell that joke on easter sunday. But you know given the nearly endless viagra as it runs and ed and television we can understand the young boys confusion. But the truth is that his unitarian universalist gathered here on this easter sunday. We are all in a bit of an awkward place ourselves this morning. Awkward place because every year on this particular some spring sunday when hundreds of thousands. Of christian congregations in america. Our spiritual united. And celebrating the resurrection of jesus from the dead and the promise of a similar personal resurrection for all the faithful we find ourselves. In somewhat of a different spiritual place. We find ourselves in a different spiritual place because even though both unitarianism. And universalism began is decidedly liberal christian sects in early america. As a religious movement we have pretty much moved past. The traditional christian understanding of the resurrection and of easter. Many generations ago. Listen for example to a small portion of a controversial easter sermon preached. By the famous unitarian minister theodore parker in boston. Way back in the 1840s there he is. He said to his congregation of several thousand in boston that morning. He said today is easter sunday. And all over the christian world it is a day of rejoicing. It is the great festival of the christian year. I'm just staying many people he said celebrate the resurrection of jesus. But to me. That is all mythology. And then that easter sunday parker moved on. To reaffirm as unitarian commitment. Not to a supernatural resurrection event. What are the timeless social teachings of jesus he said. But i welcome this day. Which brings men to a consciousness of that great soul. It is his character which makes his memory. So precious to the world. That was an 1840. In the nearly two centuries since parker preach these bold word bluntly dismissing the theological idea of the resurrection of jesus into eternal life as quote-unquote mythology. Unitarian universalist have continued to have little spiritual use for what i shall call the grand promise of easter. Simply the theological assertion that is so central and sacred to christianity. And the grand promise of easter as i think you all understand from living in this predominantly christian culture. Is that through the bodily and spiritual resurrection of jesus. Of nazareth. Accounts of which were included in several books of the new testament. Written several century several generations after his death. The promise of resurrection. An eternal life is made to all be leaving and faithful christians that is the purpose of easter. So on this easter sunday all across america in hundreds of thousands of christian churches from. Run-down little white clapboard churches nestled in the impoverished. Hollows of west virginia. The gleaming prosperous mega churches in the suburbs of st. louis. Towering cathedrals in our great cities. Millions of our fellow citizens dressed in all of their best going to sunday clothes. Are being reassured from the pulpit that not only is spring. A hopeful time of life's beautiful resurgence. But even more importantly on the spiritual level. They can achieve eternal life and the reward of heaven. Through jesus christ. The risen savior. But the simple fact is that here in this congregation this morning. As anna please hear this as respectful toward the spiritual beliefs of others. As we always strive to be as you use. We cannot give him. The way of our decidedly liberal beliefs have evolved over the last couple of centuries. Entirely share. In the sincere affirmations most christians make. On this morning. It isn't the reverend doctor forest church the former senior minister of all souls church. In new york city said in an easter sermon one sunday there he is. He said. Easter remains an awkward holiday. For unitarian universalist. The trumpets sound we all sing. And jesus isn't resurrected. At least not as god's only son. So what are we doing here he asked. Why even bother to assemble on this particular sunday. Are we simply we unitarian creatures of habit who have forgotten why we do the things we do. Are we all dressed up and nowhere to go. Which was participants in a vain show designed to make us feel better about death without offering any good reason why we should. Unquote. Here i think. Is the main thing about modern-day unitarian universalists and easter. Here's the thing. As i've already said this morning is a religious holiday when most americans around us are good christian neighbors. Celebrate a supernatural religious event the resurrection of jesus. And a supernatural religious promise. The promise of eternal life. In a place called heaven. But for the last two centuries since our very days first days as free-thinking religionist. We have essentially been not a supernatural religion but a natural naturalist religion. Or what you might call an empirical. Spiritual tradition. Which has not been interested in the supernatural. In fact it was the rejection by our unitarian and universalist forebears of many of the supernatural aspects of nineteenth-century christianity. The cause the great split in american congregationalism in about 1826. For example. Unitarian ministers of that day ministers like theodore parker. George ripley and ralph waldo emerson. Refused to believe the fantastic miracle stories about that were told about jesus. Many of you will remember from your old sunday school days are absolutely amazing biblical account. Which reported that during his lifetime. Jesus literally walked on water. Made blind men see. Clams slappers. Healed all other matters of illness. And drove out demons he could turn water into wine he could multiply loaves and fishes. To feed thousands of people before him. And he could raise the dead. All those stories some of you remember from sunday school. Well our liberal forebears almost 200 years ago refuse to believe. That literal belief in these fantastic miracle stories. We're in any way necessary to kristen fade and they said so in the public square. The miracle stories found in the new testament of the bible need i point out. We're all written several decades after jesus's crucifixion. Whitehurst while followers interested in convincing others who would read those account. To become christian. So our spiritual forebears much to the consternation of the puritans and the calvinists. Suggested that believing in miracles. Ancient advanced. Where the natural laws of the universe are suspended like jesus walking on water the natural laws of gravity are suspended. And somehow supernaturally suspended. These are miracles were not only unnecessary to establish the truth and the holiness of christianity. But we're actually obstructive. The early unitarian said to truly following jesus and his message for the world. It is famous divinity school address delivered at harvard in 1838 38 emerson. Spoke of miracle. Voorheesville man's life was a miracle. At all that man.. Was a miracle. But miracle as pronounced by the christian church emerson went on to assert. Denying supernaturalism. Miracle as pronounced by the christian church gives a false impression it is in fact. Quote a monster. Emerson and the other unitarian clerics of the day reason that the fantastic miracle stories of the bible events. Like which we've never seen in our natural lifetimes. Not only make fail to make intellectual sense for who is ever actually seen. Anyone walk on water or bring someone back from the dead. But also imply that god is no longer present in the world to perform such wonders the miracle stories say gods no longer here to do those things. An idea that might in fact that the old unitarians are bike week in faith in god. What the early unitarian and universalist were neffex saying to the biblical literalist and the supernaturalist is. Look. We don't feel logically need these other federally fantastic and unbelievable miracle stories about jesus. To believe in the holiness and the rightness of his teachings. Jesus's ministry and compassionate message of love and of justice. In enough themselves are enough to make us followers of jesus. We don't need fantastic miracle stories. Make or keep us christian. So since our earliest beginnings as a liberal and dare i say. No-nonsense spiritual tradition. Unitarian universalism has been a naturalist religion. And a rational religion. We've always believed in the known and the predictable laws of nature that we see with our own eyes. I'm test with our own reason. And we have rejected. Supernatural fantastic stories. Or speculative doctrines that require us. To take a bath leap of faith. Beyond the actual world. That we have come to know. Intertrust. And so is forest church points out unitarian universalist are something of an awkward bunch. On easter sunday. Sure we all come to sunday addressed a little bit better than usual. And celebrate with enthusiasm on this day the joyous. Return of spring. At hope horn again in the human heart. But in terms of the supernatural centerpiece. Of the christian holiday. The belief that jesus rose from the dead literally and thereby promised. The possibility of eternal life for others. We are in in regards to that centerpiece. We are clearly spiritual most of us outliers. We are spiritual outliers because are decidedly naturalist. Spiritual perspective. Which focuses our attention on the natural world. And the mortal earthly life. We actually have before. Let me say this a little differently and perhaps even more bluntly. I have a ministerial colleague the reverend dennis daniel who along with his wonderful wife sydney serves our church in chico california i called him this week. To tell him i was going to be quoting him and they're doing great. Anyway. He said to me once that he spent his entire 30-year career in ministry. Trying to get our basic unitarian universalist theology. Just down to a handful of words and after many false starts and considerable fussing he finally got. The articulation about what unitarian universalist believe down to just three words. This. Is it. Unitarian universalist tend to believe. This is. I honestly think. That is a good and clear a summation of our faith as i've ever heard. When it comes to life and death. To the meaning and purpose of human existence. Most unitarian universal. Believe. This is it. And let me just pause here quickly to make a very important caveats. You will notice that i said most. Unitarian universalist. Believe this life is the only one they will ever have. Most. But not all of us. I know for certain. There are good and thoughtful and smart people in this room right now who do believe. That there is some sort of afterlife some sort of personal continuance. Awaiting them after death. And i want to make it clear that while. This is decidedly a minority view in our movement and in our congregation. It is not. An unacceptable or unwise one. Death is such a great and universal mystery who can say for sure. The day and they alone know exactly what will happen. To anyone. I sincerely hope that those of you. Who do believe in some sort of personal afterlife. We'll share those thoughts with me your minister even either in writing or in person. In the meantime. It is important for everyone to realize. But when it comes to understanding death. And the meaning of life. There is absolutely no spiritual unanimity and i will not try to speak for any of you. About the purpose of your life. Where is your destiny. Sb played out. But nonetheless that's it. The truth is that most of us here today. Believe that. If we are to find purpose. Enjoy. And love and fulfillment in life. If we are to discover health and wholeness. As a human being. If we are to fulfill our destiny as well as human being. Most of us believe it will have to be in this life. On this earthly planet. Right here and right now without any spiritual without any supernatural promises. For something bigger or. Better. Or. Beyond. Some of you have heard me speak on other occasions. About the painful and tragic death few years ago of one of my closest and dearest friends in the world his name was dr. paul. Gordon. He was among other things are crazy cycling buddy of mine which alone makes him a great guy. He died prematurely at the age of 62. After struggling for several years against a terribly aggressive cancer. That started in his upper spine the first day i knew of it we were cycling through west virginia you said. I got a stiff neck i'm going to go see the orthopedist when i get home. That was the beginning of the end. A few weeks before he succumbed to his illness i went to him. He was bedridden at home in new jersey. Clearly die. I drove up to new jersey from washington dc where i lived at the time to see him. Well it has bedside we talked about many things. His devoted family. His many friends. Our mutual love of cycling. His passion for hiking and camping the adirondacks he did all the high peak. The weather. The absurdities and outrages of our national poet. We talked about almost every. Except his rapidly approaching. Sensing both of us were avoiding the subject. The lies. When you think about her. At the center of all religion and spirituality. Death lies at the center of all. Spirituality and religion. I finally gently asked him what he was thinking. And feeling about what was breaking over him. He looked up at me with those strong smart blue eyes of his and said to me scott. You know i'm an unsentimental. Fact-driven scientist. He was a cornell. Trained veterinarian. And so i don't believe paul said to me this illness in my body. Isn't anyway personal. Or has any particular meaning or purpose in the grand scheme of creation. Because of a sad luck of the draw i somehow got an aggressive form of cancer. That is soon going to take my life and there's nothing i or anyone else can do about. You and i have talked many times you said to me. About the fact that neither of us as unitarian universalist believe in the supernatural afterlife. As nice as that promise might be for some i've never been able to believe. But that's how creation works. And i'm certainly not changing my mind about the natural world. Now. Just because. I'm dying. I've had a good run at life. Great. My 62 years have been filled with countless pleasures and blessings. Nature's beauty. A wonderful marriage. Two great kids. Good friends a satisfying career and now my first grandchild is on the way. My life on this earth has been rich. Satisfying. Purple swollen good. And while i wish i could have more of it. I know that's not too. But i want you to know paul ended. Is it i do not begrudge this natural world. For its mortality. Life has been great. Amazingly great but now i have to surrender that gift. So there it is. Now it's over already sent. I realize that some of you sitting out there in the pews this easter sunday have different ideas. About what happens at death. And i respect and honor all those beliefs. But i must tell you. But as your minister. I am spiritually. Where my friend. Paul was. As he lay dying. This is the spiritual. And scientific way that i as a you you personally think about my life. And feel about my life and my dad. With my friend paul even though i'm open to the mystery and the unknown. I believe this earthly life with all of its flaws. And hardships and losses. Is all i can count on. And so in my spiritual and ethical life i will do the best i can. To live this fleeting yet precious life i have with as much joy and purpose and decency. As i can muster. I do take comfort. From my strong belief. But if i manage to live loving fully and well i will leave a good and decent legacy. In the people in the institutions i have touched. My life will have mattered. And i will have made a positive and enduring difference in the world just as a pebble. Dropped into a pond ripples out. So will my life have rippled out. I will be satisfied. With the destiny i have been able to play out. For myself in the world. And as a you you with a fiercely naturalist theology. I will not theologically or spiritually dream of or demand something else something. More for i honestly do not think that my creation. As amazing and glorious as it is can provide me with anything more. Then the holy gift. But i have already been given. And no. To touch. Inside. Spell. My personal mantra than micro something like this. This is it. This is all i've got by god. But it's more than enough. Plenty holes. Let me return to a moment. To theodore parker. In a sermon he preached in 1846. Articulating why he's so loved. Be a fleeting mortal life you lead. And therefore that he did not need the promise of a supernatural world beyond the natural when he already had. Parker wrote this. I would not slight this wondrous world. I love it's day and night. It's flowers and it's fruits are dear to me. I would not willfully lose sight. Of a departing cloud. Every year opens new beauty and a star. Orna purple gentian friends with loveliness the laws of matter also seemed more wonderful. The more i study them. In the whirling eddies of the dust. In the curious shells of former life. Barry 5000. In a grain of chalk. Or in the shining diagrams. Of light above my head. Even the ugly. Becomes beautiful. When truly seen. I see the jewel. In the bungie code. The more i live the more i love this lovely world feel more its author. And each little thing and all and all that is great. And elsewhere in another sermon. Parker affirmed a fiercely. This is it. Spirituality. He said there was congregation. Live today. The eternal life. That. We may all do. The joy of heaven. Will begin as soon as we obtain the character of heaven. And do its duty. Here. No. In this life. That may begin today. Parker said. It is everlasting life. To have god's spirit. Dwelling in you. Justice. Usefulness. Wisdom. Love are the best things we hope for. In heaven. Try them on now. They are the best things on earth. Live today. The eternal. Friends. Let me in this morning by gently affirming what is on my heart. On this. Beautiful easter. When all the earth breaks forth in the renewal of life that is spring. I bring you the good theological news. The dark tradition has proclaimed. Four generations. The natural world. In which we now find ourselves. Is a thing of unmeasurable holiness. Immeasurable beauty. Immeasurable grace. Everything you need. To achieve. Human satisfaction and. Is already in your possession. Right here on this rich. And amazing. No supernatural promise. For something more. Or something better. Required to make your life. A work. A purpose. Enjoy. You have already been given. All the beauty. All the freedom. Possibility. You need to fulfill your destiny. And fulfill your purpose. Death. Is answered now. Buy limes. Well. Lead. We need not wait for heaven. It can be found here and now quietly. In the fabric. Of everything. That already. Is. This easter morning. Whisper. Hallelujah. In your heart. Friends. We are the makers of springtime. The poets of birth the shapers of green and golden things we are the song and dance. Opposed. We think this earth for its beauty. Forts pleasantness. Horse living work. And we praise the human heart. Ford's courage. Is tenacity. Its eagerness and love. Maddie made us easter sunday remind all of you. Of the life within. That seeks to burst. And bloom. I'm blessed. With its color. And freshness.

uufvb_org

2011Dec04Sermon32.mp3

You know i really love living here on the treasure coast. In so many ways this is an absolutely community. Vero beach as you all know as a charming old florida town absolutely stunning natural environment. The chamber of commerce. Cousin easy time marketing vero beach has a great place to live and work in play. Community. Is also to be aware of jarring and painful social realities. First among these disquieting realities in our community is a huge and glaring golf. That exists here. Between the halves. And the have nots. A golf here. A profound economic disparity that i am forced to witness almost everyday i fight for this town. One of my favorite cycling loops which i take several times a week. Live. Right near the boardwalk jaycee park. And the barrier island. And i ride up a1a. Most expensive and exclusive gated communities in america. Resort room rates and gated 24-hour security i turn left. Go right across the bridge. Go right through. The busy route one light and then immediately turned south on old dixie highway. Do the towns of obosso and gifford. Where i ride past the extremely modest and in many cases ramshackle and run-down housing of the very poor. In our region. We've my way further south and west to the center of gifford. Near the county jail complex i ride through one of the most poverty-stricken neighborhoods. In our region perhaps all of florida. Where i c. Leaking roofs. Covered with plywood. Junk cars in the driveway and clusters of people in the summer. Sitting in the shade of the trees because they have no air conditioning. This week. I saw a real thin elderly woman she must have. With a broken down shopping cart. Looking for aluminum cans and discarded. Turkey roasting pan. To recycle for what. A few dollars. After leaving on my bike i eventually pedal my way back through town over the over the barber bridge back onto the barrier island once again. Surrounded by incredible affluence and all the beautiful gated homes worth. Millions. The point is that on almost daily basis i ride here. I am reminded in this place i call home. I'll be incredibly painful disparity that exists between the. The struggling and the comforter. And it's not. Painful american disparities can be noted recently the reverend galen gingrich the senior minister of the all souls church. On the upper east side of manhattan described a similar dynamic. Where he lives and where the church is i quote him. Neighborhood around all sold and you soon see the problem. The wealthiest subtract in new york city is just a few blocks. With an average household income of around $300,000 a year. And the poorest census tract in the city begins only a few blocks farther away the average. Household income in that area. 5. Thousand dollars a year. In the faces of the people you meet and the houses where they live. You see a city divided against itself. A painful and unsettling contrasty right. Between wells and w. The privilege that the impoverished between hope and despair between in oblivion. We live in a condition of class. Warfare he concludes. No matter how much. We deny it. The facts of our national economic life bear out these observations. Our most recent national census completed as you know in 2010. Reveals that economically speaking america is becoming a nation. Terribly. And radically divided against itself. The latest data released last year revealed that the income differential. Between rich and poor americans is now greater. That anytime since they have been keeping these statistics. And is the greatest such disparity among all. All of the western industrialized nations. As one recent report put it bluntly. Equality has been rising since the late seventies and now rests at 11 not seen since the gilded age. Which was 1870 to 1900. Hey. and us history defined by the contrast between the excesses of the super rich. And the squalor. Of the poor. Here are the profoundly disturbing numbers i'm sure. But they are the real numbers that come. From the wall street journal recently. According to the wall street journal. In a recent comprehensive study of wealth in america. Of 1% of our population that's just. 14000 american families. 22.2% of the nation's wealth. Ninety percent of the population 102 million families have. 4. Percent of the wealth the rest of us. 9% of the population. Some 11 million families. Have the remaining 73.8%. Of american wealth. Here. Are the sad and startling truth 90% of the people. With 4% of the wealth. Here are a few more equally disturbing economic statistics. Today as you all know about 10% of our population is unemployed at least stop looking for. There are almost 50 million americans. Beneath the official governmental poverty line. New york times editorial last sunday. The near four. Approximately 100 million americans about a third of our population. Live in the suffering a scarcity of life. The all-important moniker. Healthcare. Just last month the census bureau released an additional. Shocking statistic i doubted it when i read it. The typical us household. A person. Who is over 65. Is has a net worth of 47 *. Household. By someone under 35. 40. The wealth gap between american generations is vast and growing. And then there's the issue of the pay differential between. In 1965 the average pl table. Only 25% higher than the average worker. Today. Just 55 years later the ratio has grown. 250 x. Even as millions of once good-paying american jobs have evaporated along with as you know. America's industrial base. And then there are the many billions of dollars. A few thousand executives in the banking and financial sectors claim for themselves. Regardless of how they perform. For their investors. In the face of these i think terrible. And certainly undeniable facts. About the growing economic inequality of american life. The people of our nation are finally finally beginning to start paying some attention. Despite despite the smoke and mirrors deception of some political and economic leaders. To justify this growing disparity between the rich and the poor by saying that the rich are job creators. A recent. Treasury department study shows that only 14% of those who earn a million or more ever create a job. The rest of them are all in the financial sector they create nowell for others no jobs for others. Other than the crumbs that may fall off their table. The growing gulf between the haves and the have nots has finally begun. To catch the american intention in spite of the smokescreen about that many people are putting out. Over recent months the occupy wall street movement. Agree with it or disagree with if you want with the cry of we are the 99. American the nation's attention. Spider-man that this nation and its leaders both political and business. Begin to consider consider concrete steps. To ensure and enable greater economic parity and opportunity for all. Wealth and income disparity in america have reached an astronomical and unhealthy level and even the most ardent. Free market capitalist arby's are being given pause. Enter coming to realize. That our nation. Secure. If these trends. Of increasingly consolidating most of the nation's wealth in the hands of a few. Continues unchecked. It seems clear to me at least. That eventually profound disparity of wealth in america will not only threaten the moral well-being of the nation. But also directly endanger the security and comfort of everyone along the economic continuum including. The very rich. Let me return just a moment. How is q. Can the very rich even think to maintain their incredible wealth over the long haul. If only 90% of the citizens of this country have no assets. In which to participate. In the american consumer economy. This is an unsustainable. Tableau. Leading economist agree. National economies with vast numbers of people forced to live in poverty. Cannot sustain. Of those even at the very top. For very long. Or so some measure of economic equality is in everyone's interest. But nevermind nevermind the pure economic unsustainability of this all. There is also the glaring moral issue which arises with profound economic and quality. Dr. martin luther king once pointedly set. Alternative those who live in affluent america. Ignore those who exist in poor america. In doing so the affluent will eventually have to face themselves the question. Adolf eichmann. Two-faced chose to ignore. Call responsible the question goes. Am i for the well-being of my fellows. And then king sharply concluded. To ignore evil is to become complicit in it. I believe king was right. None of us. No matter how personally wealthy or comfortable we are or how hard we work to get there. Or should i say or ignore the truth the poverty line. Spirit crippling poverty is a social ill that is poisoning our nation's future. But in many american communities like this one. The social economic and educational segregation we have allowed to exist. Like that between the barrier island. And that's between gifford and lobasso. Grandsons the dangerous psychic and moral luxury of generally keeping. Millions of american four out of sight. And therefore. Out of mind. This american illusion. The poverty is not a problem where i live. Is dangerous because i have already observed. There can ultimately be no safety. No health no enduring satisfaction or well-being. For either individual americans or the nation as a whole until the national specter of poverty. And radical economic inequality is acknowledged and addressed. As the dangerous. Adult social diminishment. That it is. The reason i've included justice. In the 12 as one of the 12 gates of the human spirit necessary. For full and responsible religious living in this sermon series that i'm in the middle of right now. Is life in passionately persuaded. America establishes as social and economic policy and reality. A solid basic floor of economic decency and justice for all of its citizens. We can never as individuals or as communities. Fully enter the holy city of our own life that holy city. Where we have safety. And satisfaction and blessing and peace it will not be available to. Again the words of king. In a real sense all life is interrelated. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. Tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly king. I can never be what i ought to be. Until you are what you ought to be. And you can never be what you want to be until i am what i are to be this. King and. Is the interrelated structure of reality. This morning i'm talking to you about what i believe is the absolute moral necessity for us as a people. As americans one with another. For creating what my colleagues reverend richard gilbert and many other economic economist and theologians call. Distributive. Justice. Now distributive justice and i'll explain exactly what i mean by that. Use as you know and as i said before i started the service. An extremely complex and controversial topic. One which within the confines of a sunday sermon i can only begin to scratch the surface so that's why we're going to start a dialogue today. After service. But i would also refer you. To dick gilbert's book. How much. Do we deserve. How much do we deserve. An inquiry. Into distributive justice and his more recent nasa you can all google it. Was robin hood right. Ethics and economic injustice in america today. And robin hood and the essay will pop up for you this afternoon if you want to read more about it. Alright. Distributive justice means that our society. Intentionally decides by fair and rational means. To redistribute. Material assets of that society in order. That no citizen of that society. Lives in abject poverty or what. Let me quote the moral conclusions which which which reverend gilbert reaches at the end of his book a moral conclusion i have as well reached. He's describing. What we must have if our nation is to be a good and just and healthy society. My thesis. He writes is that these great. And increasing gaps in income and wealth between the haves and the have nots. Are inherently unjust. I argue not for absolute equality of distribution in which wealth and resources. Would be meted out equally among all people that was the illusion of the soviet union wasn't it. But for a human equity in which all people are presumed to have dignity. I argue gilbert goes on. For a just and compassionate economic system which simply guarantees. A basic decent minimum for all. Now this vision of economic and social justice. Where abject poverty is simply not allowed as a matter of social policy. Is of course not just a unitarian. Universalist moral proposition. Roman catholic moral thinker john ryan in his landmark book of the same title. Distributive justice. Asserts this. All human beings. Parent rights to have their basic needs met. Before any economic surplus is distributed to others. Simply stated. The basic needs of the poor. Immoral importance. The superfluous desires of the rich. This principle is affirmed in religious and philosophical traditions. Completo. Two jewish. Christian and muslim scriptures and i would parenthetically add there also found input us. And islamic thinking what is he already mentioned. And then he concludes. It is based on the universal idea that all people are worthwhile. And sacred. Early in his adult life. Rejecting the extreme wealth and social privilege into which he was personally born. Set this. If we take anything that we do not need for our own immediate use and keep it. Receive. From somebody else. You and i have no moral right to anything that we really have. Until these many millions of the poor. Are clothed and fed better. You and i who want to know better must adjust our what. In order that others might be nurse. Enclosed. There is enough wealth in the world gandhi observed. To meet everyone's needs. But not enough. To meet everyone's greed. Now this idea of distributive justice. Is also at the core. Social and economic message which animated the life and teachings of jesus of nazareth. Although many conservative evangelical christians today like to conveniently ignore the theological message. And i got to tell you i went to the clergy meeting here in town. And somebody said what are you preaching about this week and i told him distributive justice you wouldn't believe some of the stuff i heard you know the christians in the room half of them. Are much less committed to the christian message than i am and i'm not even a christian i don't get that. I don't get it at all. Tell him i said this. Jesus. Jesus. Repeatedly said that the rich and those of economic privilege had a moral and human obligation to share a portion. Of what they had. With those who for whatever reason or impoverished or suffering. You'll recall he said it is a difficult for a rich man to get to heaven as it is to thread a camel. Through the eye of a needle. He repeatedly said that everyone had the moral duty to feed the hungry clothe the naked house the homeless take care of the sick. In christian moral thought. This emphasis on society meeting the basic needs of the impoverished has a title. It is called the preferential option. For the poor. Edit means. Do we have a special obligation to take care of those in our society. Who for whatever reason find themselves. In extreme want. In 1986. The roman catholic bishops of the united states fully aware of jesus's. Moral and societal challenge issued. A pastor letter that is still in effect. Entitled economic. Justice for all which calls. Four significant greater. Distributive. Justice in america i quote from the bishops. Distributive justice. Calls for a floor. Of material well-being on which all can stand. This is the duty of the whole society. And it creates particular obligations the bishops remind us. For those with greater resources. This duty calls into question extreme inequalities of income and consumption. When so many lack basic necessities. And then they go on catholic social teaching. Set a flat arithmetic in equality of income and wealth is a demand of justice again. But it does challenge. The bishop say. Economic arrangements. That leave large numbers of people impoverished and then the bishops concluded further. It sees extreme inequalities as a threat to the solidarity of the human community. Fourth-grader disparities lead to deep social divisions and conflict. The point here. And reverend gilbert goes into great detail in this book spelling it out. Is it there are many religious and philosophical traditions that call. For a greater degree. Of distributive justice and exist in our country today. As i've already pointed out. The fact that economic disparity and poverty are increasing rapidly right now in america. Is a social trend that should greatly concerned everyone in the nation. Including the very rich. Whose lives are threatened. As gilbert puts it in our time. The rich are getting richer. The poor are getting poorer. And the middle class is shrinking. Income disparity is at an all-time high in this nation we have one author jonathan kozol calls. Savage. Inequalities. This morning. Here in the treasure coast which is one of the wealthiest zip codes in the nation. I am adding my voice to the many religious and ethical leaders across all the traditions i have named. Which believe it is time. In fact past. For our society. And the system. Ivar's. Two more intentionally and compassionately structure its economic life. And the distribution of wealth and material assets in a way that ensures that no america is american is obliged to live in abject. Dehumanizing poverty. No society. Catching can imagine itself as good or just. With such stark and painful contrasts. Between the rich and the poor as king wants a firm. True compassion is more than flinging a coin at a beggar. It is that is haphazard. And superficial. It true compassion. Comes to see. Set an edifice. Which produces beggars. Needs. Re. Structuring. Re. Structure. I believe in statically believe that america must significantly restructure now its economic life if it is to survive as a good nation. And while i'm hesitant to offer in the context of the sermon specific. Economic or social remedies. I believe we as a people might want to consider. To begin to consider some of the. The needs of the poor through modalities like the following. 1. A sustained. Earned income tax credit. For low-income families. A national living wage. At several times higher than the complete on the completely unrealistic $7 minimum wage. That is now in effect. 3. Some structure of a national guaranteed income including comprehensive healthcare. Provided for every man woman and child in this country. And then of course. Increased taxes. However we might choose to structure that. From the nation's very rich. To pay for that floor of economic justice. This week in the new york times paul krugman. Who is one of our speakers here at emerson center last year. Suggested to simple and what he thinks are fair and reasonable ways. To ensure a greater measure of wealth distribution. To provide for the poor. Attacks on all financial transactions. + 2. Restore is somewhat higher tax rate. 4 very high-income individuals people who make more than a million dollars a year. And i'm sure there are other reason approaches i'm not here to argue those. I fully realize. But any such call. For equalizing economic measures. Will be met with howls of protest for many of those who are doing well in the current economy and as i said this nation is torn right down the middle right now. Between people who believe things like what i've said to you this morning. And people who do not. Many conservative economics at economist politicians and social theorist. Do not believe that in any form. Of distributive justice or an any taxes. I mean a fluid that would be required. They're not moved. By the by the christian moral idea. Of the preferential. Option. For the poor. Nor the moral necessity of sharing personal wealth that jesus talked about. They answered rather the best way to end poverty. And to encourage the poor to take full responsibility for the quality of their alive. Is not by taxing the rich. But our by port to provide more for the poor but simply allowing and now i quote. The unseen but wise hand of free market capitalism. An individual economic initiative to eventually increase the wealth of the nation. This is the rising tide of the wealthy. Lifts all boats argument. The rising tide of the wealthy lifts all boats. So conservative economist and politicians are suggesting. The one affluent americans do well. Don't text them. Don't ask any more of them. Which might reduce their willingness to make capital investments and might reduce their personal economic initiative. In your effort don't do any of that in your effort to uplift the poor. Rather let the success of the wealth. Wealthy trickle-down. Cuz i was at the bottom of your society. As they suggest. It inevitably will. The only problem with this argument. Of course. Is the undeniable fact is i've already statistically spelled out. That the rising tide of american prosperity for a few. Which we're experiencing right now is not lifting all boats does not lift all boats and does not have the power to lift all boats. It is not creating jobs or real opportunities for 100 million people at the bottom. No. In all fairness to conservative economists one must admit there is probably. Some tipping point. Of taxation. Add economic redistribution of wealth beyond with capitalism's productive engine. Whose growth is substantive driven by those with assets and influence. Might be chopped. You can text people too much. And economies are negatively affected by. I would find it helpful. To listen to a spectrum of economist both liberal and conservative. Debating the finer points and pitfalls. Of this idea of distributive justice. Surely we must avoid trying to and abject poverty by strangling american economic 5. No one's going to argue. But the finer points aside. What i must assert you this morning with great confidence. Is it with the rich. Hungrily increasing their share of the american economic pie each year. And more and more and more millions of our people becoming. Core. We are nowhere near that tipping point. I am morally convinced. As still the richest and most innovative society on the face of this earth. We can well afford as a people. To redistribute a significant share of the nation's total wealth to ensure that all americans have enough to eat. The roof that does not leak over their head. Indecent. Closing on their bodies. Healthcare when they get. Weakness. I believe it is as oliver wendell holmes once observed taxes are the price we pay. Corliving. In a civilization. It is through our national taxation. Specifically taxing those who have. For those. Who do not have. That we achieve greater justice. In. The please understand it was all this said. I am. Saying this. From a religious standpoint is a post i'm not an economist. I am a minister. We are unitarian universalist we have gathered here is a religious people this morning. And as we've already said. This religious movement is founded on the principle of the inherent worth and dignity of every person and justice. Equity and compassion. In human relationship. And that is why we support the service committee with jack and all the others. Because the service committee is doing this work all over the world. For economic justice. In the lovely old african american spiritual oh what a beautiful city hallelujah. Upon which my sermon series is based at. Holy city that will be established when god returns to earth the new jerusalem. It was beautiful him. Celebrate seth city. The city will be built with 12 gates for all the people listen to the lyrics of the hymn. What a beautiful city. There are 12 gates. To the city. Walk right in you are welcome in the city. To the city. Rich and poor welcome to the city young and old welcome to the city weak and strong welcome to the city there are twelve gates to the city hallelujah. We have no moral choice. What's a bill that beautiful city here. We have no moral choice but to establish basic economic and social justice at the gates of our city. We have no moral choice but to welcome all persons. The rich and poverty. In our city. Let us build the beautiful city. With gates wide open. We're all god's children. Will find safety.

uufvb_org

2010Aug29sermon32.mp3

uufvb_org

2015Feb15Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach my name is bonnie shelton. I'm a member of this community and we welcome you we're so glad you decided to join us this morning. We are congregation of. Open minds loving hearts and helping hands. People who. Try to become our best selves. Even as we work together to make a better world. Please know that you are welcome here no matter how you come to us this morning. Whether you are young or old gay or straight black or white. Or some other marvelous shade of humanity. Whether you're on top of the world or down in the dumps or somewhere in between. You're welcome here. We hope you will find this service meaningful and enriching and giving you something this morning that will nourish your spirit and feed your soul and prepare you to have a successful week ahead. Good morning. Eye-opening words this morning are in the form of a wish for all of you. This is from a celtic blessing. I wish you not a path devoid of clouds. Nora life. A bed of roses. Not that you might never need regret. Nor that you should never feel pain. No that is not my wish. For you. Why wish for you is. That you might be brave in times of trial. When others lay crosses upon your shoulders. When mountains must be klein when chasms to be crossed. When hope. In scarce. Shein. Through. That the spirit with which you were born. Mike groh. Along with you. I'll let you give the gif gift of joy to all who care for you. That you may always have a friend who is worth that name. Whom you can trust. And who helps you in times of sadness. Who will defy the storms of daily life. That you are shy. One more week i have for you. That in every hour of joy and pain. You may feel the spirit of the divine close to. This. Is my wish for you. And all who care for you. This is my hope for you. Now. And forever. Namaste. And happy day after saint valentine's day. Pete has asked me to do this reading it's an excerpt from an address by columnist george will at washington university in 2012 will says quote. There are two separate and related questions that are pertinent to any converse consideration of the role of religion in american politics when is an empirical question is it a fact that the success of democracy meaning self-government requires a religious background. Religious people governing themselves by religious norms. The other is a question of logic. Does belief in america's distinctive democracy. A democracy with clear limits defined by the natural rights of the governed. Entail religious belief. Regarding the empirical question religion has been and can still be supremely important and helpful to the flourishing of our democracy. It is though. Is it though necessary for good citizenship. Regarding the question of our government's logic. Does the idea of natural rights require a religious foundation. Will continues. It is unbelievably case that natural rights are especially firmly grounded when they are grounded in religious doctrine. In both cases then the answer is that religion is helpful and important. But not quite essential. And this view of the matter is neither hypocritical nor self-contradictory precisely because of the character of the american tradition. A tradition that has always marked out a division of labor between the institutions of politics and those of civil society. Including especially those of religion. Religious institutions play a crucial role in sustaining our limited government. As shapers of citizens. And as limiting counterpart to the state. That is why citizens concerned for our limited government should be friendly to the cause of american religion even if they are not believers themselves. That concludes the observations of columnist george will. Very first of all give you a quote from a thesis by jason moyer on the use of god language. My present. He said. Presidents may use guide language. Strategically. To garner support for their political actions. But when they do so. The american public. Hymns to read that god language as having a real feel logical dimension. So. The public is saying to themselves. You use god language. You are a religious person. Those who say presidential use of god languages for affect only. Don't seem to recognize. What the public. Seems to be perceived. Novus sermon is about religion. And its influence. On some of the most influential presidents in history. I've called over about a half a dozen different listings of the most influential presidents from all sorts of viewpoint. And out of those dozen presidents. I've narrowed the list down to six. That i wish to explore a little bit. The combination of their influence on the nation. And the influence of religion. On them. I was hugely tempted. Do include richard nixon. In that list. From the negative influence standpoint. He put on a. Public front about being religious. But evangelicals would later on express disappointment in shock. At the nixon portrayed in the white house tape quote april payne. And vindictive man. The reverend pat robertson for example demand. The nixon apologize to americans christians. He said a 1974 were quote the victims of a cruel hoax. In my mind. Nixon. Had the most influence on the negative perception of the office of president than any other president in his. I think. That whose influence is largely responsible for today's feeling of distrust. Any president. And why many commentator today feel it's okay to discard civility. When discussing the person. Holding the title. Do i know. That my list will probably not agree with others but. That's it way it goes. The ones i have chosen or an order of most influential. According to our laws list. Abraham lincoln. Thomas jefferson. Woodrow wilson. Theodore roosevelt. George washington. John f kennedy. Let's start with the president who had the most impact and influence in terms of religion. And that was john fitzgerald kennedy. His catholic faith was perceived as a strong negative. In that presidential election. So he addressed the issue head-on. In a speech before the american society of newspaper editors he said. Are we going to admit. To the world. That a jew could be elected mayor of dublin. A protestant could be chosen foreign minister of france. A muslim could be elected to the israeli parliament. But a catholic. Cannot be president of the united states. Are we going to admit to the world or worse still are we going to admit to ourselves. That one third of the american people forever barred. From the white house. The president kennedy. Really articulate what he felt. He said. But while this year it may be a catholic against room the finger of suspicion is pointed. In other years it has been and may someday be again a jew. A quaker. Or unitarian. That's what he said. Any wound up. Today i may be the victim. But tomorrow it may be you. Until the whole fabric of our harmonious society is ripped. At a time of great national peril. Kennedy spoke out strongly against religious intolerance. Which he said diluted. The good works of religion. Do mackenzie and editorial columnist in the dallas took sus texas morning news in the 2013 road. The kennedys influence quote not only created an opening for catholics to run for high office but it opened the door for religion to be part of the political discourse. With the election of president kennedy religion had come front-and-center. And that has really led to other roman catholics running for high office like geraldine ferraro vice president. It 84. John kerry for president in 2004. In the mormon mitt romney for president in 2012. And it has led to a muslim being elected to congress. Kennedy. Carefully. Play down god language. His other major influence chill nation. He's the one that set us on the path to the moon. The influence of abraham lincoln on the country was huge. He use god language frequently. However. His lifelong friend an executor judge david davis said of lincoln quote he had no faith in the christian sense of the term. Even though he was perceived. As devout. His biographer colonel timon. Intimately acquainted with him in illinois and with him during all the years that he lived washington says never in all that time did he let fall from his lips or his pain and expression which remotely implied the slightest faith in jesus as the son of god and savior of man. Both lamon and william henderson published biographies of their former colleague after his assassination. Relating their personal recollections of him. Each denied lincoln's adherents to christianity. And characterize his religious beliefs as. Deist. We're skeptical. In the book lincoln the life of purpose and power written and published in 2006. Richard karr borden of oxford university highlights lincoln's considerable ability. To rally evangelical northern protestants to the flag by nourishing the belief that they were god's chosen people. Historian allen guelzo notes. This was no mean feat. Coming from a man who had been suspected of agnosticism or atheism for most of his life. Yep by the end while still a religious skeptic. Lincoln to. Seem to equate the preservation of the union. And the freeing of the slaves. With some higher mystical purpose. As a young man. Lincoln enjoyed reading the works of dia such as thomas paine. He drafted a pamphlet. Incorporating such ideas nonetheless. After charges of hostility to christianity almost cost him his congregational bid he kept his unorthodox. Views. Private. James lee adams. Labeled lincoln. Asmodeus. So president lincoln who persevered through the civil war. Fought against slavery. Did so frequently using god language. And had strong beliefs. But not necessarily. In the christian tradition. Let us know turn our attention to thomas jefferson. The president who took the bible and literally cut out portions. But he disagreed with. And he pasted one together for his personal use. Jefferson described many passages of the bible as quote. So much untruth charlatan ism and imposture. End of the same letter jefferson states that he is separating quote the gold. From the dross. Jefferson use certain passages of the new testament to compose what is known as the life and morals of jesus of nazareth. Which excluded any of the miracles. And stressed. Is moral message. This work was published after his death. And became known as. The jefferson bible. Jefferson was most closely connected with unitarianism. And the religious philosophy of christian deism. Let me pause a moment and define that. A disbelief. That jesus was the son of god. While at the same time being sympathetic to and in general agreement with the moral precepts. Of christianity. Jefferson considered the religion of christianity as having and i quote the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which is ever been offered to man. In private letters. Jefferson variously refers to himself as. A christian. To myself. An epicurean. A materialist. And a universal this by myself. So in true u u fashion he was an individual. As the principal author of the united states declaration of independence jefferson articulator the statement about human rights that most americans regard is. Nearly sacred. Together with james madison. Jefferson also carried on. A long and successful campaign against state financial support of churches in virginia. It was virginia's harassment by baptist preacher. That hopefully jefferson statue. Of religious freedom. It is jefferson who created the phrase a wall of separation. Between church. And state. In his 1802 letter. The danbury baptists. Hope connecticut. Throughout his administration. Jefferson permitted church services. In the executive branch. Which word acceptable to him because there were non-discriminatory and voluntary and because he believed that religion was. Any important. Part. Of the support for republican government. Remember when we started i talked about the use of god language by president. He asserted that civil rights have no dependents on religious opinions. And that the opinions of men are not the concern of civil government. And that became one of the american charters of freedom. So was jefferson religious. Oh yes. Now what are the most overtly. Christian president was woodrow wilson. No wonder we're going to develop man his entire life many feel that his faith. Guided his political positions and actions most notably. His hope that the world would ultimately move toward total peace. He once said. My life would not be worth living. If it were not for the driving power of religion. For faith. Jordan syrup. I have seen all my life the arguments against it. Without ever having been moved by them. Never for a moment. If i had one doubt. What my. Ridiculous. But wilson called for religious acceptance. Intolerance of the disparate belief systems that straddled his land. Quote it does not become a miracle. That within her borders. Where every man is free to follow the dictates of his conscience. Men should raise the cry of church against church. To do that. Is to strike at the very spirit and heart. Of america. Wilson who had pursued the plan to unite once and for all the nations of the world. Presented the framework of the league of nations. The precursor. To the united night. This was presented to representatives of. Dozens of nation. At versailles in france. Unfortunately. Once he secured the support of many of those international bodies. He failed to convince the us congress who voted against joining. It was an embarrassing. And demoralizing blow. The wilson's presidents. It did though successfully pass a law creating the 8-hour workday. In that sense. He carried the torch. For the working man. A cause that modern-day democrats still champion today. The quiet god-fearing academic ranks among the presidential race. For wikipedia. President herbert hoover in a tribute to woodrow wilson said. Three quality stood out for woodrow wilson. He was more than just an idealist he was the personification of the heritage of idealism of the american people. He brought spiritual concepts to the peace. Table. He was a born crusader. Woodrow wilson. Is among america's more controversial presidents but consistently. Ranks very high on the list of the most fondly remembered. He was one who leaned heavily on his faith. Without insisting. That other. Adhere. To hear. Brandon. Then comes. Hard-charging teddy. Theodore roosevelt. He was a member of the dutch reformed church. In washington first went to the episcopal church on becoming president he found quote a little obscure red brick building tucked away on the back of a lot and i immediately selected that. Is my church. Furthermore roosevelt was involved with an episcopalian denomination in brazil during his travels to that country. And by the time he had largely retired from public life and oyster bay long island he was a regular attendee with his wife and an episcopal church there. The christchurch of oyster bay and they still list roosevelt as one of their former parishioners. The roosevelt. Defender. Of religious freedom and tolerance. Even during the time when bigotry of all kinds. Was much more widely accepted. During the 1908 presidential campaign roosevelt supported william taft. But some former roosevelt supporters did not agree with that. 1 letter writer applying that because of taft family connections to the catholic church. He would not make a good candidate den roosevelt road back. To discriminate. I guess they thoroughly upright citizen because he belongs to some particular church. Or because like abraham lincoln he has not allowed his allegiance to any church. Is an outrage. I guess the liberty of conscience. Which is one of the foundations. American life. Roosevelt. Not leaning on any god like. Had the square deal of fairness to the common man. The huge expansion of national parks in florida. In the panama canal to his credit. And he led the way to breaking up mini business. From his autobiography. Recognition of individual character has the most important of all factors does not mean failure. To fully recognize. That we must have good laws. And that we must have our best men in office. To enforce these laws. Roosevelt was taking christian teachings. And relating them to government. Without the use of a lot of god language. In the process. So let us know finally pick look at. Legend of the president frequently referred to as the father of our country. George washington. Washington's personal diaries indicate that he did not regularly attend services while home in mount vernon. Biographer paula chesterford wrote. Is daily where and how my time is spent tells how often he attended church. In the year 1760 he went 16 times. And it's 1768. He went to church 14 times. Long after washington die. When asked about washington's belief. Rev dr. james abercrombie rector of st peter's. Church. In philadelphia replied. Sir. Washington was a deist. On his deathbed. Washington did not summon. Appreciate. Or a preacher. It is letters to young people particularly to his adopted children washington urged upon them truth. Character. Honesty. But said little or nothing related to specific items. A religious practice. Analyst to a study washington's papers held by the library of congress say that his correspondence with masonic lodges. Is filled with references to the great architect of the universe. Deism was an influential worldview. During his lifetime. He sometimes use the word god. But more commonly used terms favored by idea such as. The grand architect. In providence. 1790 washington expressed his support for religious tolerance. We're in a letter to the hebrew congregation in newport rhode island he stated quote everyone shall sit in the safety. Under his own vine and fig tree. And there shall be none. To make him. Opera. Washington also set. It is impossible. To rightly govern without god and the bible. Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity. Religion and morality. Are indispensable supports. Virtue or morality. You say necessary spring of popular government. That's from wash. Farewell address. After his second term. Washington's religious beliefs have been described as sort of a hybrid. System somewhere between deism and orthodox christianity. With rationalism. As the predominant element. We wind up today. I've left with the feeling that. All of our most positively influential presidents came from a strong background of morality. And the teachings of religious leaders. A belief in. Something like. The grand designer of the universe. But not necessarily a strong belief in a supernatural god directing human traffic. Sounds kind of similar to you you.. Vicente. This nation was founded. On the concept of what are known as. Inalienable or natural rights. Any person. Granted by a creator. Is that so. Where does raichu evolve. Just like mankind. Let us go forth on this president's day weekend comfortable in the belief that as you use. We hold true to the strong moral code of our 7 principles. Distilled from the wisdom of the world's great religions. And i can bus lycee. With e. Namaste. May the spirit of the divine. Reside in your soul. And your soul. And my soul.

uufvb_org

2014May25Sermon32.mp3

Welcome. The unitarian universalist fellowship of zero beach memorial day weekend so many of our veterans. We are congregation of open minds. Loving hearts and helping hands. People seeking to become our best individual cells even as together we work to make a better world. And as we say every sunday please know that you are welcome just as you come to us this morning. Whether you are young or old gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What do you have a ged or a paint. Whether you are a visitor with us this morning or have been here for decades. Whether you were feeling on top of the world or down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We are glad to see you this morning. We hope you will find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. You will find something here this morning. That nourishes your spirit and feeds your soul and gives you a nude energy and purpose and joy. For the living of life and the days ahead. Are opening words this morning. May we be reminded here of our highest aspirations. Uninspired to bring. And service to the altar of humanity. May we know that we are not isolated being miracle. To the universe. To this community. Unto each other. Our story for all ages today. I found it on the internet. And you can read it there if you choose. The title is. She is a teacher. In september 2005. Martha concern history teacher. Ed robinson high school in little rock arkansas. Did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school. With the permission of the school superintendent. The principal and the building supervisor. She removed all of the desk in a classroom. So when the first. student center. They discovered there were no this. Miss catherine. Where are. She replied. You can have a test until you tell me. How you earn the right. Just sit at a desk. And so the kids thought. Well. Maybe it's our great. No she said. Not your grades. Maybe it's our behavior. No it's not even your behavior. And so they came and went to student left. The 2nd. students game. The 3rd. students came and still. No desks in the classroom. Kids call their parents. And told him what was happening and by early afternoon. Television crews had started gathering at the school. Report about this crazy teacher. Quit taking all the desk out of the room. The final period of the days came and the puzzle students. Found seats on the floor. Of the desk. Classroom. Martha catherine said. Throughout the day. No one has been able to tell me. What he or she has done. To earn the right to sit at desks. That ordinarily found in the classroom. So now i'm going to tell you. At this point. Martha went over to the door of her classroom and opened. + 27. United states of america veterans all in uniform. Walked into the classroom. Carrying. A desk. Vet. In rose. And one by one they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier headset the biscuit place. Those parents the news crew in those kids started to understand. Perhaps for the first time in their lives. Just how the right. To sit at those death. Had been earned. Same as the pews were sitting in today. What she said next is the most important part of his true story. This teacher was awarded the veterans of foreign wars teacher of the year. For the state of arkansas in 2006. She is the daughter of a wwii veteran. Who was the prisoner of war. And therefore she had a deep conviction. Of the value of responsibility. And appreciation. And this is what she told the students. You didn't earn the right. To sit at this desk. The jasper place here for you by heroes who did it for you. Place protest. For you. These heroes when halfway round the world giving up their education and interrupting their careers and their lives and their families. So you could have the freedom you have. And so kids. It's up to you. To sit in them. Take on the responsibility of learning. And to be good students and to be good citizens. They paid the price for you. So that you could have the freedom. To get an education. And don't you ever. Forget it. Call the young dead soldiers. By archibald. The young dead soldiers. Do not speak. Nevertheless they are heard in the still houses. Who has not heard them. They say we were young. We have.. Remember us. We have done what we could. But until it is finished. It is not.. Say we have given our lives but until it is finished. What are lives. They say our deaths are not ours they are yours. They will watch you make. Weather our lives and. War for peace. Hope. War for nothing. We cannot say. It is you. Who must say this. They say you are deaf. Give them their meaning. We were young they say. We have died. Remember us. When scott asked me to preach on memorial day weekend. I knew that i wanted to honor our veterans who gave their lives to defend our country. We have many such heroes from many different wars. And we need to revere them and remember the ultimate sacrifice they made to safeguard democracy. And our way of life. On this particular memorial day. However i want to focus on our soldiers sailors and airmen served in the battle of normandy. As june 6th. 2014 10 days from now is the 70th anniversary of d-day. On that day. The armed services of the united states great britain and canada landed on the coast of normandy invasion and a two-month campaign. To defeat the german army occupying normandy. This campaign was the start of the western invasion of europe by the allied forces. But ultimately led to the defeat of nazi totalitarianism and the surrender of germany in 1945. Winston churchill said that the normandy invasion was quote. The most difficult and complicated operation ever to take place unquote. I read stephen ambrose's account entitled. A 600-page history of the invasion and the days and weeks that followed the normandy landing. Only by reading this link understand scope of this campaign years of planning the complexity of the defensive and the heroic the soldiers sailors and airmen who are their sacrifices achieved victory for the german forces. I stephen ambrose wright. Quote. Victory was salvaged only by the cumulative of individual bravery and sacrifice. Unquote. In 1964 20 years after president dwight david eisenhower was interviewed by walter cronkite omaha beach. One of the two beaches where american troops landed. The president said. Quote. Looking out at the channel you see these people out there swimming and sailing a little pleasure boat. It's almost unreal to look at it today and to remember what it was. It's a wonderful thing to remember what those fellows. 20 years ago we're fighting for and sacrificing for. And what they did to preserve our way of life. Not to conquer any territory to make sure. Could not destroy freedom in the world. Just think of the lives that were given for that principle. Paying the terrible price on this beach alone on that one day over two thousand casualties. But they did it so that the world. It just shows. What freeman will do. Rather than be slaves. Unquote. Ambrose echoed these words by saying. The gr is believed in their cause they knew that they were fighting for decency and democracy. They just didn't talk or write about it they came as liberators. Not conquerors. To put the scale and scope of this invasion in perspective it is necessary to give you some background. Operation overlord as the battle of normandy was named is considered the decisive battle of the war in western europe. Before this battle germany had occupied france and the low countries. For several years and had access. The raw materials and industrial capacity of western europe. The allied forces. The united states great britain and canada new only that knew that only a land invasion liberate this part of western europe and that the invasion. From the sea. The planning of the invasion began two years. Earlier in the spring of 1942. The location of the landing site in normandy. We're carefully guarded secrets. And the decision to go. Was made by. General eisenhower supreme commander expeditionary forces. Only hours before the invasion was launched when weather conditions. How to improve. Months before however american. English and canadian divisions pepin garrisoned in england along with war material of all types. The night before the beach landing. An enormous fleet. Of warships and all manner of landing craft sailed across the 20 miles of english channel and positioned themselves off the coast of normandy. These navy's primarily american canadian and british are augmented by navies in exile. From france. The netherlands. Norway. I'm greece. Over 5,000 warships and auxiliary. 195,000 sailors and merchant marines. Transported. 175 thousand infants infantry soldiers plus tanks. Trucks are huge weapons. Across the english channel at night. Landings along the 50-mile coastline of normandy where to begin just before dawn. Hours for 4. British american and canadian. Airborne troops. Parachuted into normandy behind enemy lines. And just before. Numbers from england. And the warships now anchored off the coast began showing. Highly fortified german bunker system along the beaches. The coast was divided into five sectors. Utah and omaha beaches where the american troops landed. Gold and sword. Were the british troops landing. And juneau. Where the canadian troops. Each tried very very serious obstacles. For the invading troops to overcome 6 mi long. A third of a mile deep. And wide-open was the most exposed. And the most difficult. Many of the landing craft carrying troops tanks trucks and huge guns were destroyed. I never reach the beach. The germans had laid mines in the shallow waters off. Below the surface. These were invisible to the approaching boats. In preparing for the service when mary and i were talking about it he told me that he had lost a nineteen-year-old friend from new jersey. Who is an engineer on a landing craft. But did not make it to shore. The soldiers that did manage to land on the beaches by 80 to 90 pounds of gear. And we're easy targets for the german gunners. Dogs into their concrete gun emplacement and bunkers above the beach. 50% of those coming on shore in the first wave. Before getting off the beach. But despite the carnage. I'm lost with material wave after wave after wave of july's kept coming racing for the protection of the bluff at the far end of the beach. Some jamaica. Even made it over the bluff and inland where they had more protection in the woods. On the beach read extremely fragile and vulnerable at the end of that first day. But i thought. On june 7th. And for the days and weeks the following reinforcements started coming in. Dj was only the first day of the battle of normandy and many more lives were lost as allied troops advanced inland. Over the two and three months of the inversion. 1. By the national d-day memorial foundation places the number at 1002 we're lost. On d-day. By june 30th 1944. 71,000 vehicles. Over the beaches. 450 2,000 soldiers. 11000 gi shipping killed in action. Or died of their wounds. There is so much more that one could say about d-day. Or the weeks that followed the beach landing. But it's much more valuable for you to read one of the many excellent account. This time. So now i'm going to focus on the troops shelled. Who were the soldiers sailors and airmen who died in normandy. For the most part. They were young. Still in school. Or college-age. Stephen ambrose mentions one gi who is 15 years old. Having about his age when he signed up. These soldiers were from every walk of life. And from every part of the united states. Some of them were even recent immigrants. And spoke with a foreign accent. However it muscles. 1944. The armed service for highly segregated. African american combat positions. Their services. What was central to the overworld campaign. Or in the capacity of supply and support. The ground troops. In 1945 one year later that would start to change as a result of the exemplary performance. Of african american soldiers. And also because the order. General eisenhower to begin integration. Of the army. American soldiers in world war ii were not military cadets. They were ordinary citizens. Many of them were away from home for the first time. I knew nothing about being in a foreign country and the realities of war. They were innocent. Idealistic. And just get it's getting started in life. Stephen ambrose calls from citizen-soldiers which is also the name of one of his very famous books. Hitler scott at the american soldier and was certain that these quote of democracy of dictatorship. Unquote. But hitler did not know. I could not. Possibly have understood. The american psyche. These aren't tested young men idealistic. Fiercely. Patriotic. They believed in serving their country they believe general eisenhower who's written order to his troops. On the eve of d-day said quote. Soldiers sailors and airmen of the allied expeditionary force you are about to embark on a great crusade. Toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. The freemen. Of the world are marching together in victory. Unquote. Few of the men the soldiers wanted to be in normandy and all of them were afraid. But they wanted to do. Their duty. And the vast majority. Did that and much. Much more. In many cases the officers and sergeants leading the assault with the first killed. And those who remained alive. Leaderless. Regardless. Individual soldiers step forward. Charge and began giving orders and directions. To their fellows. Historians have said that victory by the allies dependent on the junior officers and ncos. On the frontline. No switching gears again. Much more recent past. In 2007. David and i travel to normandy and we visited omaha beach. It is enormously long. And deep. And wide open. The day that we were there it was sunny and warm as we strolled along the beach itself. Endo bluff. Behind it. Who is almost impossible to imagine what it must have been like on june 6th 1944. After visiting the beach. We drove a short distance to the american cemetery. Located on the cliffs above the beach. We parked a large parking lot. There were many other cars in the parking lot that day. And a lot of people were walking down the path. A simple wooden path. Cast from the parking lot. Along a grove of trees and proved very gently. For the massive. Call entranceway. Some distance beyond. We walked slowly charlie with our friends. Peaceful and serene spring. We came to the entrance way. M castro. Unlock the head. We all stopped. And stared. In disbelief. At what we saw. No one spoke. No one moved. The only sounds i will call with the halyards of the american flag. Slapping against the tall flagpole. In front of us. I turned slightly. And i saw shocked. On everyone's face. I also saw. Strangers to one another in a crowd. We're crying. As we stood there in silence. Before us and as far as we could see. Or graves. 9300. An 83 graves. Imperfectly straight rows. Whitestone crosses or stars of david marks. Each plot. 150 acres of manicured lawns. The head overlook omaha beach. Undersea beyond. Hypercom the final resting place. American. Who died on d-day. Or in the weeks following. I have no idea how long we stood there in silence. Some point we must have absorbed. This site enough. To move forward. Into the first row of graves. Each cross or star of david. Where's the soldiers name. Rank. Date of death. And home state. Well there are three medal of honor. Recipients and many officers of different ranks. Buried in the cemetery. The vast majority of the fallen or regular gi. We walked slowly down the rose. Reading aloud to each other. The names and details. Each of the graves that we passed. This enormous campaign. The largest invasion ever to take place. Suddenly. I become very very personal. As i read a name allowed to david i wondered to myself who had that gi been. Has life been like at home. What had been his dreams and hopes for the future. Was going through his mind as his landing craft approach the beach. Or his parachute or glider. Hovered over the treetops. What's he thinking of the orders. That he received and doing his duty. Whiskey consumed by fear. What you thinking that his service. What help save democracy for the free world. I would never know. What could this young man have known of democracy. Tramps like equality. Unalienable rights. Government by the people. Probably. In the short life fulfill these lofty principles. The country had been plunged into economic depression. Unemployment. Hardship. Hanger. And fear. The benefits of democracy. Within reach for most and perhaps not. For this gi. Yorkie believe. In our way of life. Not because he had necessarily reeked any rewards. Because keith and thousands of other americans. Overseas or at home whose work supported the war effort. Trusted the promise that america held out. The promise that one. Did have equal rights and that one could get ahead and build a good life for himself and his loved ones. He and all his comrades had stake their lives on this promise. But did not live to see it realized. How much we owe them. How much i would like to say. To that young grin2b others. But their sacrifice was not in vain cause of them world war or in other wars before or since that they did help to save the world for democracy. Their descendants. Are fortunate to live in freedom. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifice. These men. Where are fathers. Husband. Songs. Brothers. Friends. Neighbors. We are related. To them all. Is peter rabbit a well-known uu minister. Quotes. We built on foundations we did not weigh. We warm ourselves at fires. We did not like. We sit in the shade of trees we did not plant. We profit from persons we did not know. We are ever bound in community. Unquote. We must never forget that. We must forever be grateful. We have another debt to pay. One that is much greater. Ingratitude. We owe it to the men here in the cemetery. And to all others who have served our country democracy forward. To make the american dream only a promise and a hope in 1944. Reality. Every person in our nation. Yes. Life in the united states has become better since 1944 for many people in the care of the elderly and the l and an economically opportunity and an education. But there is much more work to be done and we must do it. If we are to keep faith with those who died for us. I told leave a legacy. A better legacy. For those who follow us. In our reading started a few minutes ago. The young soldier's say we have done what we could. But until it is finished. It is not done. We have given our lives. It is finished. No one knows what our lives gave. They say. I guess are not ours. They're yours. They will mean what you make them. They say. We leave you or jess. Give them. Their meaning. Our work is not done said donald and 80 year old veteran and army chaplain who was in normandy. If you forget what happened here you are never going to improve. It's never going to get any better you must keep it alive. Unquote. No we can't forget. And we do understand the democratic principles that are country stands for. The foundation of our unitarian universalist principles were inspired by the declaration of independence and the constitution of the united states. Yes we are firmly inherent worth and dignity of every person. Justice equity and compassion in human relations acceptance of one another the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process. World community. When we affirm these principles we are speaking. For all those who lie buried in the american cemetery in normandy. I'm speaking. To all who have served our country. About a month ago. During a coffee our conversation with an older member here. She told me about a decision that she and her husband had made recently. She said very forcefully. We will no longer tolerate insulting and disrespectful language used to describe our elected leaders are those that other people do not like. If we say nothing against this hate speech by public officials or private citizens we are condoning it. And allowing it to become acceptable behavior. This is a dangerous and we must say loudly kind of behavior is not acceptable it diminishes and degrades democracy we have seen this before in europe in the hostility towards jews minorities in political and extermination of people by hitler's third reich. She and her husband have not forgotten. Play live through world war ii. This can happen again she said. So now she and her quiet. Gentle husband. Speak up with whatever they encounter this kind of speech. We must do so too. Affirming what we believe. Is important. And promoting our principles is even harder to do. Enough. If we are to give true value to those. In normandy. They cannot give anymore. So we must. Each of us must try to move democracy forward by the way we live our lives. In helping others in our community. Iphone 4s for all citizens and by speaking out about. All americans. You might ask. What can one person do. What possible difference could i make. Who would even listen to me. It can seem overwhelming. Such an enormous task that no one person could possibly fulfill. We're not ass. To act alone. I am sure that the individual gi. In world war ii overwhelmed and frightened. But that chi-ri along with hundreds and thousands more soldiers sailors and airmen and millions of people at home supporting the war effort. Did. Make the difference. Alive today are witness to that. Together. Together to achieve a shared goal will bring success. It will make it a reality. We as unitarian universalist must be proud of our principles. We must defend them. Stand up for them and. On them when we see egregious violation. Of american rights. We are not alone. We will be joined by the voices and the actions of others. Who are working to bring the american dream. To all who seek it. We can do our part to move democracy forward. For the next generation. We give you our desk. Give them. Their meaning. Say the dead. May it be. The our lives. Even in a small way. Create. The reality of the american dream. That our fallen veterans saw.. I'm at. As we leave today. May we carry the spirit and the values. Of this community in our hearts. Goforth resolved to work. Towards the highest standards. Of equity and fairness for all people. So that someday humanity will live in peace. And love. Honoring our differences and holding sacred. Are commonalities. Go in peace.

uufvb_org

2014Apr06Sermon32.mp3

Good morning. It's a beautiful day. I don't know about you but get out. And welcome good morning. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach and we're so pleased that interview a chosen. To get up. This morning. We were tearing gation of open mind loving hearts and helping has become. Our best selves. Even as together we work to make our world a better place. And you are welcome precisely as you come to us this morning. Whether you were young or old gay or straight black or white or some other interesting and wonderful shade of humanity. Whether you were feeling on top of the world this morning. Or down in the dumps or. Somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you just as you come to us and all of your. I hope you will find our service this morning meaningful in richey. The nurse is your soul and feed your spirit energy and purpose. Half-life. In the days and weeks ahead. Charles methodist minister. Fiesta river 3 chargers in pennsylvania. Minnesota. Together here. Our spiritual home. Or water. To father together gathering reflection. Care. Align. Angelworks the purpose and claritin joyfulness. And love. Just serve the car. Aurora parks in montana. Marcel. Pineapple purses. This is david from oregon. Good morning. Computer. Understand. Music store. You are welcome here. Warren beatty breeders.net door. We're confederates. Republican party. He was at the house. Did you travel to the holy man.. Jesus also entrusted in yourself. Regarding. 101 tax collector. Giselle. I sent you that i am not like other people. Rogue. Or even like his pastolektor. Weather. Ferraro. Perception. Jesus parable all the time. It's a frame around a few minutes.. Responsibility. Scripture express victoria. Sara piana public. Pharisees were one of the two major religions. Groups in judaism. They were part of the religious establishment. Pharisees. List all the series. Something else. Outkast. Elaborate. Who works for the government. The government. June 4th. Jesus former tax collector. Will you understand. People. Corrupt public officials. Career. Perceived. Resume. Chuck-e-cheese. Do you. Show me spelling words with the truck. Superior truth to himself. First. Prairie. There's some guys here production friday. Jesus had something else in mind. Shriner symbols in the story. Open the door for us. Curator. Even though it's friday. Variety images. Understand. We're getting any intentional uncle sentence. Refrigerator senior world. Exposed. Arrogance. Is worth more than others. Their journeys have priority over others are their schedule is more important. And what they believe is right and true all together and not negotiable. That's that's not. Universally true. But you but you also has a deeper. Dimension. According to this parable. Humility is not only good for driving and for shopping ever dealing with the clerks in the. In the motor vehicle registry. With our relationship. You may choose another name besides god. You may prefer love or. The spirit of life or source. Truth or the ground of our being or are our own best solve perfectly. Good words. Whatever one we choose points to awareness. Of accountability is human being. Beyond. Just taking the money and running and. And beyond just winning another time another level of accountability. He really does not begin in the decision we make. They were going to be polite or that we're going to be respectful. Humility begins in the center of who we are. It's not a jacket. Go out to get the bread in the mail. Hip hop. Take it off and hang it by the door is not primarily the way we behave. Although of course there is some of that. Not a performance. It's not just pulling over and letting the tailgater pass. It's not your shaking your head and smiling with somebody. Cut this off or not that things to do. But the humility. Another place. And it runs far deeper than that. Humility is not so much. Humility is what we are. The word humility comes from the same as the word. Hummus. And if you regarding your you-know-what hummus is. It's that. Rich organic material. It has the power to change dirt into soil. It's why gardeners are so interested in compost. And it's why we recycle the leaves and the grass and the plants and the kitchen waste and allow them to slowly composed. Dark and rich and moist. It is the substance that has all the nutrients. Produced terrific tomatoes. Radiant radishes. Hummus in the garden is where life begins. It's that secret ingredient. That makes a smile. When we walk through our garden in august in the yard. In the tomatoes are turning red at least in pennsylvania. Fertilizers have their place in the garden. I'm reminded. Everytime i drive into town. I drive by my friend raised garden. Ray has country fair quality. It come from that garden. There's compost and there's manure in the spring. And there's a cover crop in the fall. And he amalgamate. Everybody knows raised garden on route 690. We automatically turn off. You can plan a stick in raised garden. Well if you militie is left or what. How do we become that way. Well. Perhaps it has something to do. With hummus. Directions. The tax collector we get some clues. Acknowledges that he is a sinner in need of mercy. Appropriate. He's a jew connect with the holy blessed be he. He opens his heart and soul. So god can reclaim them. And jesus said that he went home justified. Maid-rite and his relationship with god was renewed. Send. Understand is not the word everyone. We choose to describe those situations when we separate ourselves from the holy. Can we provide our own self rationalization. The death of the tax collectors. Because when we speak the truth to ourselves. We have made some terrible choices. Urban x. Most everyone of us. Cheated. Anger or revenge. At times. Come up to our compassion threshold. We remember those times with tears. When we have been terribly wrong. Thought we were broke. We know we are still crazy after all these years. When we face the truth of our brokenness we are like. We are ready for something. Rutan to grow within us. When that happened hours from moments. Did find the holy one. And also to our fellow human beings. The pharisee in his profession would have trouble embracing another hurting sewell. Couldn't even notice. The tax collector with the imperfection in the pain of others because he knows he stands there himself. Humility grace that has the power. To lead us to compassion. And empathy. We come to see in our own failure is our brothers and sisters. We're bound together by our intersection. This parable doesn't need any help from me. Imagine another parable. Just like this one. But this parable has a different ending. Elsa tax collector stands. One of his neighbors. Perhaps someone he has cheated. Cesium. Great distress. And has compassion on him. And stand in silence while we praise. And. Absolution. In our own time. For those who are seeking homeless. Sometime. But that's a terrible for. The problem with the pharisee was not that he was a holy man kept all the religious laws that is all well and good. The problem. For god or neighbor. He does not ask god for anyting. He does not need anything. You stand proudly alone. The pharisees full already. That is a very hard and rocky soil. To grow much of anything. The parable list of the tax collector. Is it broken. He brings to god nothing but his honesty and in pain. He knows him for what he has. And where he is empty. For god to make a difference in his life. I've sometimes wondered what did jesus mean when he says those who humble themselves will be exalted. Well i don't see how we can possibly are there or that the humbler going to going to win the lottery or live forever. I believe that exalted means that the humble. Already. What they truly need. Play roddy rich. Dark fertile soil in which. God is growing. They're the ones with the bruce. In the rich and fertile sandra they saw there so they know a holy presence. They are exalted. Two men went up to the temple to pray. One-man brag. And one man. One spirit with bear. And one spirit was first. In one man the spirit of life is struggling to find a way in. In one man the spirit of life was sending up new shoots. So once again this morning briefly. Across the screen of our hearts and minds. And we watch this. From the temple. One day long ago. It's an incident never happened. And yet. It happens all the time. The gentle teaching of the terrible you and i. Are invited to seek. Humility. You and i are invited to become the medium. For the abundant life. You and i are in fight. To share that life. With all the pharisees. That we have yet to me. May the peace of god which passes all comprehension. Be with you now and always. Amen. And i sent you to your week with these words from unitarian minister. William henry channing. Written in 1840. It's entitled. My symphony. My symphony. Live content with small means. To seek elegance rather than luxury. And refinement rather than fashion. To be worthy not respectable and wealthy. Not rich. To study hard. Quietly. Talk. Gently. Frankly. To listen to stars and birds babes and sages with open heart. To bear all cheerfully. Do all bravely. Await occasions. Never hurry. In a word. To let the spiritual unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common. This. Is tubi. My symphony. Going peace. And in troy.

uufvb_org

2011Nov13Sermon32.mp3

Do you have reject christianity for yourself. And now. Your. Really. How about helping others. Come terms. With christian theology. In the ten years that i've been a member of the unitarian universalist religion. I've seen heard far too many of us. Christianity. That's the last thing we should be doing. Ridiculing. And insulting the christian religion there are too many of that faith in the questioning mode. And as one person who was crossing over said. The phrase. Who you to be christian. Into christian to buu. Definitely applies. Criticize christianity. We should simply be encouraging asking of questions. Wii u user still questioning and questing after the truth. Let me pose a question. How can some members of the unitarian universalist religion. Except. Into our folds. People of a faith who bow to a hindu statue of a flying monkey. Or the multi-armed goddess of time and death kaylee. At the same time. Denigrate. Those who follow christianity. We. This congregation. Are officially recognized. As a welcoming. Congregation. And that's our logo for that. But that pertains to more than sexual practices. Is not you you a religious community. That openly welcomes. Anyone. Who exhibits immortal character. Endor professes belief. In one religious thought or another. That's what we say. But that's not what we all do. When we hear one of our members. Or listen to ourselves. Bashing christianity to the ethics of our own religion. Are we truly being open and accepting of others. For saying. That jesus is divine and is the son of god. I've never heard of you you condemn hindus for their belief and krishna. Or those who bow to the mini arm to figure of vishnu. No. The priests of the hindu religion. Appreciate christianity in its several forms at end of this story. From a man who was studying hinduism in india from scotty mcclellan. When he was in india and writing a story called finding a uu spiritual truth. Empath. He said. By summer's end. I had decided to become a hindu. The priest child. To my astonishment. You've missed the point of everything i've taught you you grown-up a christian you know a lot about that path it's the religion of your family and your culture you know almost nothing of hinduism go back. Be the best christian you can. And the priest. Find a way to be an exclusive christian. In jesus's footsteps yourself. The more i learned about others pads he explained the more it would help me progress along my own. And these words are remained my marching orders. 4life. Recognizing. At the ri indeed mini-pads to heaven. Nirvana. Or whatever you wish to call that final destination. Is one of the hallmarks of unitarian universalism and yet. In the time since i joined. And other congregations of you you. Ridicule christian. Christianity. This. As you might gather by now. Bothers. Especially. Considering the fact. That you use roots are in christianity. The unitarians are christians. They espoused holy figure. The universalist. What originally christians who simply did not believe in original sin. And declare that all. Evolved. More and more toward believing that jesus was an amazing. Religious teacher. But not the son of god. And youyou has steered away. From christianity. Much of that steering. Has been brought about conflicts. Uncomfortable even unpleasant experiences by many of us. Who at one time belong to one or another of the christian denominations. This came about most often during times. Some of the religious teachings we were receiving at church. Many of us were told in no uncertain terms that the question was heretical and not condone. With such a question our turn to you you if they heard a member being totally disrespectful toward the christian faith. It seems to me. They would be much more inclined to turn in our direction if we simply spoke our principles. And said to them. Walk with me. I have question. I still do. It's okay. To question your faith. As a young man in my twenties. I left the baptist church. After realizing that i had a real problem. What the concept of original sin. And the problem with. Anyone not claiming jesus as his or her savior was going to hell. I was told have faith. Believe. Don't question. Coupled with observing. Many of its members living a life of hypocrisy. Being true to the ken 10 commandments on sundays. And cheating their fellow band during the week. Finally compelled me to leave. There were people like muhammad ali christianity is a good philosophy. They just organized it and use it any which way they want to. Unquote. Cassius clay muhammad ali and that's the kind of thought. That made me stay away from all forms. I've organized religion. Until the summer of 2001. That was about 40 years later. And that's when i visited this congregation. As a guest speaker 2043. And i really appreciated the quality of the questions in the comments that came at me after my talk. So for purely intellectual. Gradually. I realized. The personal and moral standards was really. Rather spiritual. Much to my surprise. Feeling of spirituality and morality. And being repulsed by hypocrisy. Led me to this sermon today. Let me ask you. Are some of you perchance still running away from an uncomfortable or unhappy christian past. If you move beyond. Fight or flight syndrome. Invited to take a sharp look. What you fled from. Are you just tricked executive. Are you like the child who stops believing in santa fe length. Are you still angry. For not being real. Do you angrily proclaim that this building is not a church. Because church is a christian word and we should not be using it. Yes. The dictionary first definition. Is a christian place of worship. But the second third and fourth definitions are simply that a church. Is a place of worship. A congregation. A religious service. Sunday service in uu is all of that. Be careful though. There are those among us. Who profess inclusion. Practicing. Tokenism. Take this comment from a black jews experience in one uu congregation he talked about jesus and i quote others that have tried and failed to move beyond tokenism with well-intentioned but poorly executed attempts at inclusion such as. Menorah candle. Lit in the wrong order. Potluck. A potluck dinner by you used to honor a jewish day of fasting. You got to be kidding. It's sad and it's amusing at the same time. And it helps to poke fun at ourselves. Not religion could afford to shed mini habits. But laughter is not one of them. A bumper sticker which reads. Jesus. Protect me from your followers. Keeping in mind the followers faith says go out and. Preach the gospel and convert people that's what they believe and that's what they do. Let me follow you and christianity sharon and immoral center. Both. Strongly endorse social justice issue. Especially among the protestant denominations. We are ethically and morally extremely close. It's sometimes unfortunate. That we you use are also human. And we have a tendency at times to paint a whole group with a brush better directed at a subsystem. Of that group. In this case. When they really are is true. Let's fundamentalism. Certainly gives us a tour. Many of them seem to have drifted away from the core teachings of jesus. Look. Social justice. Equity among humankind. A professor of sociology a picture college in claremont california along with his associate dan katie and assistant professor of history. Published an article. Based on a poll published by the pew forum on religion & public life and they said. Geico here. White evangelical christians. Are the group least likely to support politicians or policy. That reflect the actual teaching. Jesus. It is perhaps one of the strangest. Most dumbfounding ironies in contemporary american culture. And they went on to say. Evangelical christians who most fiercely proclaim. To have a personal relationship with christ are simultaneously the very people. Most likely to reject his teachings. And they concluded. Jesus. Unambiguously preached. Mercy. Unforgiveness. These are the major virtues of christianity. Which seem to be shunted aside frequently. By far too many. In the fundamental branches. Religion very well. Our focus then. It's on those who proclaim to follow a religion but appear. To be doing otherwise. Get out that brush. Away to your heart's content just use care. That's the brush. Just not slop over. And dirty up those millions of christians. Do follow their religious path. And the teachings of jesus. And forget. There are christians within our ranks. And you probably have no idea. Who. Look at the results of a survey. Done by. Our religious exploration program. Particularly the question. How do we identify ourselves today see the fourth line down. 116 of our members. And friends at that time. Answer the survey. And it revealed. There were nineteen of us at that time. Who self-identified as partially christian. That's close to 20%. Just in case you did not know this. There is a national organization of you you simply called universalist christian fellowship. That's their logo. Basically. They adhere closely to the teachings of jesus. Without necessarily believing in the divinity of christ or the resurrection. Nestling up. That close to christianity. They run into flac. From some members. Of our religious organization. At the 2010 uu general assembly conference. Attendee susan lawrence who is the managing editor of the uua tapestry of faith and their online discussion group. We want our uu congregations to welcome us for who we are. And she went on. The conference helped me to understand we each have. Nru you community. To welcome each person. To bring their whole self in. Because that's what this religion is all about. Yes. It. About that. As expressed in the first two of our 7 principles. The inherit. Worth and dignity. Every person. Just. Equity. And compassion. In human relations. Do you want be tempted to sing. I'm up here with the intent of heap. Upon your head but that's not so. I confess to being guilty of christian bashing to in the past. What. In listening to some others do that. I grew more and more. Easy. With those thoughts. And i began questioning myself strongly. Was. Tamayo principles. When i laughingly. Simply because i personally disclaim that faith. And i found myself squirming in embarrassment. Because my answer was very. I realized. That i was looking upon the hindu variety of gods for example and saying to myself. I cannot believe in that but there's nothing wrong with. But at the same time. Who is looking upon christians. Without having that same understanding. It was hypocrisy in myself. And i did not like that fought at all. I asked of you. Not to feel guilty. If you've been harboring that kind of thought. Just. Quinnen if such a thought arises. Nsync on this. When you consider the followers of christianity. A quote. From darwin's grandfather. Erasmus darwin who said. Unitarianism. Is a feather bed to catch a falling christian. So the end result of this thought is. Don't. Chase christians away from us with negative conversation. Namaste.

uufvb_org

2012Dec30Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach. My name is judy perry. And we are so glad you have chosen to be with us here this morning. Please know that you are welcome no matter how you come to us this morning. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight black or white. Or some other wonderful shade of humanity. Whether you are on top of the world or down in the dumps. Or somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you. You are welcome here just as you come to us in all your particular already and charm. Welcome. We hope you will find the service meaningful in enriching. And that you will find something here this morning that nourishes your spirit and feeds your soul. And gives you renewed energy and joy for the coming week. I also want to introduce our guest. Catherine giordano. She's a member of the unitarian universalist. Society in orlando. She frequently speaks to you you groups. Katherine has worked as a market researcher for most of her life. She founded her market research company answer search incorporated in 1990. However in 2008 she decided it was time to reinvent herself as a speaker. Writer poet and blogger and so she did. She's an author of several books. The poetry collection a collection of poems what if if only so what's a collection of essays. Based on her speeches. Her third book newsprint poetry 2012. A collection of poems based on newspaper stories. Her talk today is one of her most. Popular talk. The amazing gift of laughter. Come into this place of peace. Let it silence heal your spirit. Come into this place of memory and let its history warm your soul. Come into this place of prophecy and power. And let its vision change your heart. Is it a poem i wrote and titled. Capturing happiness. It's in my book. The poetry connection. And it's also in my book what ifs if onlys and show what because i believe in recycling. When i was a child. My father blue smoke rings from his cigarette. I would try to catch them on my finger. I could almost do it. Before the smoke we disappear. Thinking about this it occurs to me. That happiness is like smoke. Not the acrid smoke from a cigarette. But the sweet smoke. That arises from an incense stick. There it is. Show enticingly close. Curling through the air. It's mine. If i can take it. I reach out my hand. My fingers outstretched and i close my fist around it. And when i open my hand. Nothing is there. If i want happiness. I must stand still. And let it come to me. I cannot seek happiness i cannot grab it and keep it like a treasured souvenir. I must have an inner stillness. Letting go of stress and anxiety. And then. Happiness will settle over me. Breathing it in. Smelling it. Tasting it. Letting it settle on my skin. Letting it soak into my hair. And then i have it. It is part of me. When judy gave her welcoming remarks this morning. She said. But everyone was welcome here. Those who came in feeling down in the dumps and those who came in here feeling on top of the world. Well. My promise to you is that everyone is going to leave here feeling on top of the world. No no more down in the dumps. I also noticed in the observation that. I'm listed as a preacher. I'm not a preacher. I'm a talker. And a laugher. And how many times have you left today. 5. 10. 17. Now i say 17 because the average adult last 17 times a day. How many times do you laugh. Each day. Well you're going to laugh a lot during this presentation. And you know why. Because i'm going to tell you when to laugh. A couple of years ago i attended that's one a couple of years ago i attended a laughter workshop. And what are you doing the laughter workshop. Laugh. It was given by a certified laughter therapist. There is actually such a thing as a certified laughter therapist. Sometimes they call themselves mirth ologist. Nice work if you can get it. Just laughing all day. Anyway the workshop got me interested in the subject of laughter so i did a little research about it and a little thinking about it. I learned that there are four sounds of laughter. B**** hoe. Haha. He. And hey. Now i'm going to demonstrate this for you. First time i did this speech i thought it would be really funny if i walked onto the stage. Laughing hysterically. I mean totally crazy laughing like a maniac as i came up to the stage. Set the scene for my talk about laughter. Didn't work. People looking at each other. Is she having an anxiety attack. Seizure. Maybe we should call nine-one-one. Show now i warn people before i do it. So here it goes before sounds of laughter. Hahahahahahaha. That sounds good. I don't show you that sketch started laughing along with me. Because laughter is contagious when you see someone laughing you feel like laughing too. Are you know what. I had so much fun laughing just now. I want you to have fun too. So i want everybody to forget their inhibitions. They get their degree i am declaring today act like a kid day. And we're going to do the laughing thing together. Okay. Ready. Alright. So. Hahaha. Excuse. You got the laughter. Dress encourages more laughter. Ladders contagious when you see others laughing. You want to laugh. I don't laugh much more when you see a movie in the theater. With other people around then if you're just watching that shane movie alone on your tv. And how many of you feel. Physically better now that we've done the laughing. Okay tell me how you feel. Good night. Everybody else wanted to talk about how they feel. Relax relax. I think i get that one a lot. People want some ft say they feel less stressed. They say they feel lighter. And happier. And sometimes less shaky. And that's all that's all from just a simple laugh. Banana burro relaxed and happy will let me tell you a few facts about laughter. Human beings love to laugh. As i said before the average adult last 17 times a day. But a child laughs. 400 times a day. That is because children are delighted by everything they discover in the world. And i found the video on youtube. Bad i'd like you to look at because it's the perfect example. Of the happiness of children. Just got home and google babies laughing. I put that in my favorites. If i'm. Been having a bad day. I just click on that and there's about a dozen different ones babies laughing so find one that works for you and you cannot watch those babies laughing without feeling happy. That's how it works for me i mean it just lift my spirits. And you knows i read this someplace. We never really grow up. We just learn how to act in public. So once in awhile we need to let out our inner child and just be silly. Everyday can be act like a kid day. There's a time for seriousness and there's a time for silliness. Laughter is been with us since the first human walked the earth. It's so old that it's actually pre-human. Scientists have concluded that the great apes laugh the same way we do. With short exhalations of breath. And just like yumen. Their laughter is contagious. And it helps the group to bond. It seems that even dogs laugh. Does anybody here have a dog that laughs. Well. I don't have a dog but there's a certain kind of pan that they say is a song of a dog laughing. The behavior of other dogs. Injustice is just the whale after helps you and coke. Laughter can help dog's coat. At the spokane animal shelter they did a little experiment. They play the sound of a dog over the loudspeakers just doing regular panting. And. Ever the dogs just kept right on walking total pandemonium. In the shelter. But then. They played. The dog. Version of laughter. And within a couple of minutes. The whole place quieted down. The dogs laughter. Calms the other dogs. Just the way it works with youmans. The research suggests that we are hardwired valeska. Even those little bitty babies that would probably no more than 3 months old. New how to laugh. It may first developed about 10 million years ago. And the fact that laughter goes so far back on the evolutionary tree. Makes me think that laughter is a very important tree trait. Laughter improves our physical well-being and improves our emotional state it helps us in social situations. And it can even help us to be more spiritual. Very strong evidence that laughter can actually improve health. We've all heard the saying laughter is the best medicine. And in the bible it says. A merry heart doeth good. Like medicine. And what does laughter do for our physical health. It reduces stress levels it lowers blood pressure. It boost oxygen levels in the blood. It reduces the amount of inflammation in the body. And it stimulates the immune system. What also gives you a full body aerobic workout. Did you ever laugh until it hurts. Well here's why because laughter gives your diaphragm. Your abdominal. Your respiratory your facial your back muscles. Workout strengthens the heart. And it's so much more fun than push-ups and sit-ups. I want you can even help us lose weight. It can reduce food cravings. So don't reach for cookie. Reach rachel book. Also. If you're laughing. You can't eat. Laughing 15 minutes and you'll burn 40 calories. And over the course of a year you can lose 5 pounds. And over the course of this chalk. You can eat an extra cookie. It increases your pain threshold. So the next time you have to have blood drawn or some other painful procedure. Sharon joke with the doctor first. The last time i had blood drawn i said so you're going to be taking my blood. What happened. Dracula not available. Yuma therapy. That's a term is given to a process that claims to produce therapeutic effects using laughter. Norman cousins popularized human therapy in 1979 when he published his book anatomy of an illness. He claims that 10 minutes of laughter. Could give him two hours of pain relief. I'm mr couzens made a full recovery. The effect of yuma on the chronically ill was depicted in the hit movie patch adams. The movie was based on the true story of dr. hunter adams. An unorthodox doctor that believed laughter was the best medicine. That patch adams had to fight to get recognition for his beliefs. But today many hospitals are implementing humor centers. And you intervention. When they treat their patients. And this field of medicine is called psycho neuro immunology. A ten-dollar word for saying make sick people laugh. Mental health. Negative emotions such as anger fear and sadness can literally be laughed away. Laughter provides a physical release. From intense emotions. Have you ever felt like. You have to laugh or you'll cry. And after you have laugh. At one of those moments. Do you somehow feel renewed and. Reinvigorated. Because the negative emotions have been swept away. And now you're ready to deal with your situation in a rational way. Alachua is one of my favorite stress management techniques. It's free. You already know how to do it. And you can do it just about anywhere. Images of matter if it's real after or fake laugh. And it doesn't matter if you laugh out loud. Or if you laugh silently. You'll get the benefits of the laughter either way because your body doesn't know the difference. We did some fake laughing before. And now i'll do some fake silent laughing. This is like if you're in a situation someplace you know where you can't laugh out loud. Maybe you're having a family dinner you know during the holidays. Something in there this one person there who always some second cousin or something. What was gets you when you can just go look at stuff in the bathroom and do some silent laughing. I hopefully you'll come out feeling better. And if you're having a terrible horrible no good very bad day. Find a private place and laugh. Is outloud silently. Depending on how private the places. I don't laugh until you feel rejuvenated. Now. I know this works because it works for me. I had today. Where i had an errand to do it was supposed to take one hour. Instead it took me the entire day. And i was driving from one end of town to the other end of town and back again and everything was going wrong. I finally got in my car to head home. Add. I said to myself self. You are feeling really angry and stressed and tense. Why don't you try that laughing thing. Do i do that. At the next stop for a traffic light i started to laugh. And in the tree miniature for the light to change. All that negativity drains right out of me and i was back to my normal. Happy chef. However. The people in the car next to me. They look a little worried. But this technique can work even before you get stressed. So you have to do something that you find stressful. Maybe you have to lead a meeting. Or something and that makes you uncomfortable or you have to go to a party where you don't know anyone in your. You're feeling a little nervous about that whatever your situation is. Do some fake laughing. Watch a funny video or something. That will get you laughing. Think about a funny tv show that you store last night read a joke book. Whatever just get yourself laughing and you will find yourself. Better equipped. To handle that situation that's making you anxious. It will chase the butterflies out of your stomach. And it will get those nuts out of your. And here's another way to use laughter to get you through your day. Instead of complaining about life's frustrations. Make up a funny story about it. And imagine yourself. Telling it to your friends. I did internet dating about 10 years ago. A lot of terrible dates. Out really bad cuz i was expecting to have a nice date. So i made up funny stories about all of my dates and i told you my friends and my friends were in stitches and i was laughing too and i forgot to be upset. And eventually i did meet someone nice. Find the funny and what happened to you. And you will laugh and then you'll laugh again when you tell it to your friends. Eva story will make your friends laugh too. Show your bad experiences putting a lot more happiness into the world. But just make sure you don't sneak any complaining into it. If no one's laughing you're going to have to go and rethink it. Find the penny. How about the social benefits. In social situations. Laughter can defuse an embarrassing situation. Relieve tense moment. And help a groupon. Is a feedback loop. You laugh. You bought. You laugh more. You bond more. At a family gathering again will check in a wheel of the people in our family. Or at least we love some of them. Show me the make things change. So if things are getting changed. Go find your private place and do some fake laughing. Or. Get everyone laughing. Is tv land on tv. So if you're at a family gathering and maybe. Things are getting a little. Cancer something you can say hey remember how we used to love leave it to beaver. It's on tv land let's go watch it. And pretty soon everybody will be laughing and the tension is will have dissipated. And by elevating the mood of everyone around you you reduce their stress levels. And you improve the quality of the social interaction you have with them. Reducing your stress levels even more. Now we can tell funny stories about the past often at family gatherings but if you do that just make sure that the joke is on you. Because of someone. Well then nobody's laughing. Now spiritual benefits i mentioned spirituality. Tumi spirituality is a feeling of peace. A feeling of oneness with the universe. A feeling of transcendence. And you can't have those feelings when you're feeling stressed. Chill. What we want to do is. Is. Get that stressed out with a little laughter. Sometimes in a church service will have deep breathing meditation singing. All of these things help to reduce stress. And laughter can help to reduce the stress as well and then once our stress is going we're open. To spirituality. Conclusion. We should always try to maximize the laughter in our lives. I would say you're watching a funny show on tv and it makes you laugh. Don't give a small little half-hearted laugh. Exaggerating. It's just you and the tv. I've been doing that and it really works it really makes you. View. What is jake and what happened. Cold laughter yoga. And it's not like regular yogurt where you have to. Do wawa's complicated poses and everything. And there's no joke telling. People just get together and laugh. You start with the fake laughing you can everybody can parade around the room making funny faces at everybody. And i'm trying to crack them up until everyone in the room is laughing. I did this one at the start of a women's retreat. And you know. All the women friday night 6 drag themselves in tired from their week. And i told everybody let's do this laughter yoga. We did it and but there was a problem with it. I couldn't get them to stop. Showtime schedule. But everybody. Spell more awake and more relaxed and one willing to participate in the workshop. So i want to leave you with this thought. You can choose to laugh. And you can choose to be happy. Happiness is not just something that happens to you. You choose it. I finally you know what they say always leave them laughing. To everybody. We're going to do the laughing thing again. I want you to go all out. Should get out jesse yuck it up like a maniac okay. Hahaha thank you and keep laughing. If here you have found freedom. Take it with you into the world. If you hear you have found comfort. Going to share it with others. If here you've dreamed dreams help one another. But they may come true. If here you have found laughter. Share it with others. Your laugh. Share your laughter with a. If you if here you have known love. Give some back. To a bruised and hurting world. Go in peace.

uufvb_org

2014Sep14Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. Welcome to this beautiful gentle. September day here in vero beach and welcome we're glad you've decided to start your day at the unitarian. Universalist fellowship of vero beach. We were turning gation of open minds. Loving hearts and helping hands people seeking to become our best individual cells. Even this together as a community we work to make our world a kinder and better place. Please know that you are welcome just as you come to us this morning. Whether you were young or old gay or straight. Black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What do you have a ged or a phd. Whether you are a first-time visitor this morning or a bennett. Here for decades. Whether you were feeling on top of the world or down in the dumps. Or somewhere in between. We are glad that you are with us. And we welcome you. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful and enriching at you'll find something here this morning to take with you. To make your days ahead brighter and more purposeful. From our fragmented personal worlds we gather here to seek wholeness. From the feelings of isolation and loneliness we come here to feel. Connectedness. From the vast evils in the world. We come here to relate to what is good. I'm attempting idols of the mind and the confusion of the spirit we would find here something of meaning. From the proclamations of doom on every hand we would find here. What is hopeful. From faultless indifference. We will be charged here with the spirit of vital faith in ourselves. And love. To our fellow. Human beings. It is good. To be together. This sunday. He wasn't sure i could pronounce the reverend's name. But the timing. For this. Sharma today and what i'm going to read to you. The sports world's made it really obvious. We got a problem. No way maybe yes but anyway. The primary wireless to the violence you and i must recognize. The violence we can do something about. The violence we can spare. The world from. Is the violence within each of us. Evil is not just out there. It's in here. In each of us 2. We must recognize i am capable of violence. Is he over killer. I am just as liable to have violent feelings. Violent thoughts. Violet bushes. That should help me understand the person who is unwilling. Or unable. To control. Such a violent. The nature of the killer. Like the nature of a lover. It's not a thing apart from me. Me killer lover or all part of my human nature. In my human nature. I have the stuff of porch prophets. And saints. I also have the stuff. What manipulators. Philanderer. And murderers. I am not in my basic human nature. The better of any person. I made make choices that are better or more dishes. Or just luckier. That's why i live on. I will humbly accept the possibility of violence. And evil within and try to overpower it. With love. Which is also within. He was a perfectly cultured charming. Successful gentleman. Of european background. He was born in the year 1900. Graduated from high school and then began his training for the roman catholic priesthood. But eventually decided to pursue other professional pursuits. He became a dedicated and highly respected administrator. Who received multiple awards for his professional diligence. Innovation in government. Each night after a long day at the office he would go home and lovingly embrace his large family. The maids who worked in his home remembered him as a loving and attentive husband and father. Who especially doted on his five children playing games like hide-and-seek with them. 4 hours on end. He was also remembered as being exceptionally kind to animals. One maid wrote of him in her memoirs. He talked his children into bed every night he kissed his wife each morning. Andy wrote poems about beauty. Who was this man. His name was rudolf hess. But he was the commandant of the nazi concentration camp. At auschwitz poland. From may 1940 until december of 1943. Under his calm and capable leadership and estimated 2 1/2 million men. Women and children were exterminated by gassing and burning. And at least another half million persons. Under his charge to come. To starvation. And disease. Making this one man. Responsible for the deaths of over 3. Million. When the russian army approached auschwitz late in the war horse rather than honorably face all the evil he had perpetrated. Assumed an alias and went into hiding in germany. What house was eventually hunted down by the israeli secret service. Tried before a polish war crimes tribunal. Sentenced to death in 1947 was ignominiously return to auschwitz. To be hanged on a one-person gallows built outside the entrance. Of the gas chamber. He wants presided over. Rudolph paws loving and attentive husband and father who doted on his children and his pets will always be remembered as one of the most evil. Figures. In human history. What house was not as i'm sure you all understand the only. Ordinary mild-mannered. German. Who willingly participated in the unfathomable evil of hitler's holocaust against the jews and other minorities. In fact after the war there were many first-hand accounts of how many charming kind gentle and civilized. These nazi killers could be when they were quote-unquote. Off duty. Holocaust survivor filter sakievich. Collected extensive testimony from the polish maids who serve the families of auschwitz has nazi officers. Who repeatedly these maids expressed amazement at how normal and pleasant. These men could be when they were not at the camp gassing. And murdering countless people. A german jewish writer by the name of hannah arendt. In covering. For the new york for the new yorker magazine and covering the 1960 israeli trial of adolf eichmann the senior ss officer. Credited with organizing the nazi death camps. She coined the famous phrase. The banality of evil. In describing aikman. The prime architect of the holocaust. In observing the lengthy trial she expressed shock that aikman did not all seem the evil monster. That she expected to see but rather and now i called her. He was terribly and terrifyingly normal. And then she went on to observe quote. His evil acts were motivated by thoughtless smith. That was neither stupidity. Nor bureaucratic obedience but a staggering inability. To see the world beyond nazi. Cliches. Aren't thesis. Was it people who carry out unspeakable crimes like aikman. A top administrator of the holocaust. May not be crazy fanatics at all but rather. Ordinary individual. Who simply accept the premises of their state. And participate in any ongoing enterprise. With the energy. A good bureaucrat. This morning i want to talk about human evil. Not the evil. As the reading before the sermon will imply. Not the evil done by the notorious and vilified. Vilified villains of history there plenty books about the world tyrants and murderers. But the evil and wrongdoing of which we ourselves. As ordinary and usually respectable people are capable. I want to talk about the evil that ordinary people like us. Fall victim to because i think. It's very important for each one of us to realize it give him the right circumstances. And the right outside community pressures. Most if not all of us are capable of doing terrible. Harmful and immoral things. But the good news and i assure you this is a note upon which i will end at the end of the sermon. The good news is it by facing and understanding our worst human vulnerability. And by trusting our conscience. To do what is right we can avoid falling victim. 21 hannah arendt called. The banality. Of evil. What got me thinking about all this and i will admit it's a bit of a dark subject for a bright sunday morning. What got me thinking about all this was the recent. Faulty ignition switch scandal at the general motors corporation of which i'm sure you're all aware because of the extensive. National coverage it generated. Involving that companies decade-long failure to fix. A deadly safety defect that led to at least 50 for serious car accidents. And 13 deaths. Here are the facts of the scandal as i understand them. For more than a decade dozens of high-level gm engineers and executives. Together somehow neglected to ensure. The thayer company fixed by a recall. A very serious ignition switch defect. A defect that cause the engines and power steering of certain gm models. To suddenly shut off while the cars were operating. Leaving too many crashes. These engineers and executives fail to act. Indecisive and responsible manner in spite of the fact. They knew full well for years. That this defect was causing horrific accidents. And deaths. At one point and this shows how sinister groupthink can be. Gm dealerships were issued a written warning. Not a mandatory recall but simply a warning about the switches and the faulty part was even redesigned by gm engineers so as to fix the problem. But she did not change the parts number. For the new switch. They simply put it in the pipeline under the old switch number. Something automobile manufacturers are never supposed to do when they redefine when they redesigned or defective parts. Because this ensures that the old defective parts. Will not be any longer used. This decision to surreptitiously fix the part. Without taking all the bad switches out of circulation. Meant the deadly defective switches remained in the gm parts pipeline. Available for serving vehicles and causing further crashes down the road so to speak. As one critical report put it quote. Although everyone had responsibility to fix the problem. Nobody was in the company took that responsibility. The report went on to observe that employees avoided responsibility for the deadly part with. What is called the gm salute. Which has arms crossed and pointing fingers at one another. Or the gm nod. Which is closer the nod as an empty gesture. The cobalt ignition switch the support one on to say. Pass through an astonishing number of gm committees. But determining the identity of any actual decision-makers within the company. Was impenetrable. The bottom line here with the spittle gm ignition switch problem. Is it a significant number of highly capable engineers and executives knew beyond all reasonable doubt. But the lives of their customers were being lost because of this defective part. Yet none were willing. None was willing or able to take the professional risk. To stand up in that corporate culture. Which encourage their silence. Their acquiescence. Their inaction. Getting along. Now i guarantee you. I guarantee you. Did if we looked into the personal lives of these engineers and executives who by neglect and silence. Allowed the continued unnecessary accidents and death. You would find that these people. In michigan mostly. Are overwhelmingly good and ordinary respectable people. These are people like us who brush their teeth. Watch their cars. Cut their lawns. Pay their taxes love their partners raised good kids and contribute to the good of their communities. Like the banal architects of the holocaust. Bgm employees of course we're not monsters. Just ordinary people who because of social and community pressure. End up doing extraordinarily bad things. Even evil. Thanks. So i tell the shameful story about the gm executives and engineers who somehow allowed together. This defect to go unfixed. I tell this story not to single them out and shame. But to remind all of us of the uncomfortable truth. The ordinary and otherwise. Generally honorable and upright people are capable under the right circumstances. Of terrible wrongdoing. Let me speak personally. First. Although from a distance i have absolutely no connection with the auto industry. I am shocked by this gm scandal. I must admit that i can imagine. That if i had been one of the many employees in this complex chain of command and responsibility that is general motors. I can imagine that i too might sadly might have been able to somehow persuade myself. As so many gm employees apparently repeatedly did. Affect. Was a complex technical and political situation that someone other than myself. Was responsible for. Corporations and institutions and governments and communities of all kinds are known from time to time. To exert incredible. And seductive pressure on people. Pressure that prevents them from doing the right thing said differently. Corporation. Institutions and communities sometimes. Through both obvious and subtle means asked us to tolerate. Or even penetrate or even perpetrate. Immoral acts. As much as i would like to imagine myself as totally immune from such pressure. I suspect that in some complex situations perhaps in combat in afghanistan for example. I might not be totally moral. I'm honest enough to say that if i'd been one of those many gm engineers an executive struggling with this problem. I am not certain. But i would have been the one. Strong clear unequivocal voice. For doing the right thing i just don't know. As a unitarian universalist i'd like to think i would always stand up. Regardless of political and personal pressure to do the right things but again honestly. I don't know. Perhaps none of us know. That we will always do the right thing until. We are in that moment at either do the right thing. Or by acquiescence. Or neglect. Do the wrong thing. My guess is today. Now that gm's failure to do the right thing has been completely exposed. If you were to ask one-by-one these engineers and executives who knew about this problem. But did not take decisive action ask them if they are ashamed. Of what of their decision my guess is and majority. I would say that they do feel guilt for what they did. Not. Do. I suspected more than a few of these individuals wish now. That they had followed reason. Port was clear this problem could be fixed and listen to their consciences. And then acted responsibly to get these effective switches out of all gm cars and get them out of them immediately. As with so many things in life in hindsight is clear. What should have happened. And how these gm employees should. Have together and individually acted but because of the banality of evil. Something else. Happened. A couple of years ago in a sermon i preached from this pulpit about courage. I told the story of a member of the first society first unitarian society of plainfield. The congregation in new jersey that i served. For 10 years in the 1980s. One of my parishioners there. Was his client. Conventional middle-age slightly balding pharmaceutical sales executive name. Tom. He was as. Bland a guy. Aztec never make. One day. Tom called me and asked if he could stop into my office on the way home from work and discuss. An ethical dilemma. He was having at work. When he arrived he matter-of-factly describe the terribly difficult position he was in. It seems that his boss earlier that we could come to him to inform him that one of their company's biggest selling. And most profitable drugs had just been banned. From for sale in the united states. Due to medical indication that it was causing the death of a number of women patients who had taken it. But his boss said that for the time being at least because of regulatory red tape the drug could be successfully and legally marketed overseas. Especially to women in poor undeveloped regions of the world. Who would probably not be informed of this risk and or would overlook the risk. Tom's job has boston form him was to move as many million units. Of this hazardous yet profitable drug overseas as quickly as he could before the international regulators. Stepped in. My parishioners dilemma of course was a stark moral one. Even though his what his boss was demanding was still apparently. Technically legal. Because of tom's ethical values and his commitment to his unitarian universalist faith and the principle which he spoke to me about the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Not just americans but africans and asians everyone in the world. Tom was unsure. As a religious or ethical person person if he could even possibly follow his superiors. Callous and indifferent orders to place. Profits over people. Data further complicate matters tom was his family's only breadwinner his two kids were happily ensconced in. Good private schools. And the onda nice home. In summit new jersey. With a large mortgage. And he as a caring father and husband was also was tormented then between the tension. Between what his conscience was telling him was the right thing to do that is to refuse his bosses order and his personal duty to end concern for the well-being and security of his own family. Which would be kept if he kept his head down and did. What he was told. Well as you can imagine we talked about this tough decision he faced at some length. Although i firmly believe. He should do what his conscience was telling him. I took in that conversation a socratic approach in discussing it for i think such a decision can only envy envy made. Not by some morally superior person telling him what to do but. But 22 after reflection deciding for himself the next day. Tom walked into his boss's office and told him that he could not in good conscience be a part of marketing this drug overseas. And asked to be relieved from this assignment and be assigned to other projects in the company. His boss fired him. On the spot. No i tell i will tell you for this is important to the story. But as a result of this moral and decision moral decision in this decision of conscience. As a result for standing up. For what he knew was right. Domino's family faced many months. A personal and financial hardship. It was most of a year before he finally found another executive position in the pharmaceutical industry. And got his life. Out of the terrible. Sexy resume. This good man was never in any physical danger of course. But i'm standing up in his workplace for what he knew was right and refusing. What hate to do when he knew was evil. He paid a very high price. Tumi tom will always be an example of a noble and quiet hero a unitarian. Universalist hero who did good. And refused eva. Even when it cost him a great deal. In a tough business and personal situation he honored his highest principles. And followed his conscience. Even when it cost him a lot. Eye of court would have course hope that all of us as unitarian universalist aspire. Over our lifetime. To consistently act with similar moral clarity. When we are faced. Do the right thing. And choose good over evil light i hope we all aspire to that and achieve it. Until i guess. When i think about it my topic for today is really not the banality of evil. It's rather the nobility. Of conscience. What i am saying to you today is it in our complicated lives. As participants in communities. And corporations. And institutions and organizations and governments. We will from time-to-time inevitably inevitably be tested to see. If we have the moral clarity. And the backbone. To do the right. Thing. People and organizations around us i promise you this. Will routinely offer us convenient. And reasonable sounding excuses. For not following our conscience and for not doing what is right. As happened with those gm engineers and executives who failed. To remove those deadly switches. But our unitarian universalist faith. Demands that we always put our conscience first. And that we know what our moral principles are and that we honor them even when there is great pressure. For us. From others. To neglect. Or ignore or abrogate. Our principal. Last sunday in my first sermon in the series on the sources of our faith. I pointed out that in our liberal faith tradition. We are first and foremost. Call to obey. Without reason and our conscience tell us we are to trust our direct experience. In the world that's what the first source says. And live in accordance with what our minds and our hearts tell us. Is real and true and good and right. You won't you don't you don't listen the president of gm you don't listen to some. Tyrant. You listen. The still. Voice within. The ticket. Arises from your direct experience. We are not. In this faith tradition to sheepishly follow the crowd. Or the corporation. For our elected officials. Even when everybody else. Is thinking and doing that. We are to follow the dictates. Of our own experience. And reason and conscience and do what we believe is right even if it means. We put ourselves. At personal risk. Again. Human history. And community life again. And again. And again proves that ordinary people like us are capable. Great. But the good news. The good news my friends. Is it by listening to what reason. And our conscience tell us we are always capable. Always capable of avoiding the banality of evil. Even as we live day by day. In that light. Of what we know. To be noble. And true. Android. And i saying mean to you this day. Every sunday the conjugation of the first congregational the first parish of concord massachusetts. They say this together as they go into their life. Go out into the world in peace. Have courage. Hold on to what is good. Return to no person evil. Quarryville. Strengthen the faint-hearted. Support the week. Help the suffering. Honor. Aw. Being. Going peace. And love.

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2010Sep19sermon32.mp3

uufvb_org

2011Oct30Sermon128.mp3

In the year 1850. As part of the compromise to try to save the union of the united states. The congress of the united states passed on president millard fillmore you see him there on your left sign. The fugitive. Slave act. Along which required returning slaves. Ford escape to the north. To their masters. In the south. In boston massachusetts a unitarian minister named theodore parker that's him on the right. And the congregation he served. Refuse to obey. This re-enslavement law. And is an active direct civil disobedience to the federal government of the time. Gave sanctuary too many escaped slaves in boston. Some of them stayed and parker's own home. Parker became the leading voice in boston resisting the fugitive slave act. In a defiant public letter to president fillmore who was i'm ashamed to say our unitarian president. In a letter to him. Declaring his resistance. To the unjust immoral or this other unitarian parker wrote. I would rather lie all my life in jail and starve there then refused to protect one of these my parishioners. You cannot think sir. That i have to stand by and see my own church members carried off into slavery and do nothing. And in a serving of the same time he told his congregation. When rulers have inverted their function. And it acted wickedness into law. Which thread down the inalienable rights of man to such a degree as this that i know no ruler but god. No law about natural justice. Icare the hateful statute of kidnappers. To shivers. I trample it beneath my feet. I do so in the name of all law in the name of justice and of man. And in the name of the dear god. It is often told. The parker. During this intense time. In our national life. Would be home composing this church service and have a gun. Sitting on his table and the sword there. By the table. This desk. And when he preached he would lay the gun on the pulpit. Just. In case any slave catcher. Happened by and he would put it there. With a loud bang. Theodore parker. Found his voice. And resisted. Dietrich bonhoeffer. Was a german lutheran minister and leading protestant theologian who was one of the few christian leaders in all of germany. Who dared to actively oppose hitler. And his nazi party and the murderous ideologies. Of national. Before the war. Bonhoeffer an ardent and sincere christian had written this. Faith can no longer mean sitting still. And waiting. The christian. Must. Rise. And follow. Before the war. He was a leader in the ecumenical church. Which advocated interfaith tolerance and dialogue in early in the war as nazi anti-semitism. Reach. Ugly. Fever pitch. He was a vocal advocate on behalf. The jews and personally helped. A group. Use escape to. Later in the war. Having decided that hitler and the evils of the nazi machine had for the sake of humanity had to be stopped at all costs. In 1944 he joined. In a plot. Dubbed operation valkyrie you know the movie with tom cruise. He joined in that. Plot to assassinate hitler. By detonating a bomb under a desk during a war planning meeting held. The wolf den. Hitler's field operation. After that bomb failed to kill hitler bonhoeffer was arrested. And was executed by hanging. Concentration. In 19. Dietrich bonhoeffer. Having made the moral calculation as a. That hitler had to be. Killed. To protect millions of other lives. Had joined other brave men and women resisting what they new. And he made the ultimate sacrifice. Don't let me fast forward to our own time. And to our own country. I want to tell you story about another hero of faith this is someone. Ipers. Lino. As you all know following the horrific and deadly terrorist attacks of 9/11. Are federal government under the leadership of our then president and vice president. Adopted what was italy standish aaliyah covert. And secret policy. With but which soon became known. Doesn't acknowledge policy of quote. Intense enhance. Interrogation. Which most. Field in the field call torture of prisoners. Physical and psychological torture. Prisoners. From whom our government was trying to extract in. Is torture policy as you all know is carried out in places like bagram air force base in afghanistan. Abu ghraib prison in iraq. And the us military detention facility in guantanamo cuba. A numerous cia and nsa secret prisons. Our government set up all over the world. To handle the many prisoners. That our war against terror quote. Call generator. Soon after discovered practice of our government and military. Became known thanks to a vigilant press and governmental leaks. In december of 2006 i remind you. The congress. Of the united states you're elected representatives. Responding to widespread national and international condemnation of this policy. Following the leadership of senator john mccain who himself. Torture. Turn the vietnam war. Voted our congress. Find overwhelming majority to ban all us personnel from inflicting a now i quote the law. Cruel inhuman or degrading treatment. On any prisoner held anywhere. By the united. President bush reluctantly sign. That legislation into law and then immediately issued a quote. Presidential. Signing statement. Saying that his administration would interpret this new law. And now i called him. In a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the president to supervise the unitary executive branch. As the commander-in-chief. Consistent with the constitutional. On the judicial power. This language. Editorial in the washington post pointed out. Refers to our print to the assertion by the presidents lawyers. But his powers allow him to wartime. To ignore. Statute. Like this one. Passed by congress. Assigning. Statement. The postman on also advanced the administration's view that the mccain amendment. Does not provide any court review. Of any prisoners claim of cruel treatment. And that all appeals by foreign prisoners before the courts should be. Amnesty international headed at that time my doctor bill schultz who was here with us last february. I have been investigating these torture and ill-treatment. Detainee. Violation. I'll buy us by our government for more than a year reported this. Torture and inhumane treatment or widespread. And us run detention centers. Afghanistan iraq cuba and elsewhere despite washing. Denial. Evidence continues to emerge the amnesty report went on. A widespread torture. Other cruel and inhuman and degrading treatment. I am so for. Now i give you this rather two-tailed background. On the shameful years of official us torture of prisoners by way of accurately telling you a story about a unitarian universal. Weather. But i'm terribly proud of a woman by the name of linda. Who is a member of the congregation i served in washington dc during those years. Here she is speaking. From the pulpit. Of the river road congregation that was my old pulpit that. Wood thing up there. Shortly after the first. Conclusive proof began to leak out about what we as a nation. We're doing to our prisoners. Linda came to me one day and said scott i can't stand it. I am morally horrified that my government my american girl. Is violating not only its own laws and highest ideals. What international law as well. We are intentionally. Torturing countless people she said to me. It denigrates me and everything my country stands for. And i've got to do something to resist i've got to do something whatever i can to change this immoral policy. No i too have been deeply troubled by what i understood to be going on and all of our secret prisons around the world but for god knows what reason. I hadn't yet acted on that imp. But linda's passion and outraged that day in my office motivated me to get involved i said to work. Linda you're so right to want to fight this. Everything about our unitarian universalist faith says this is wrong. And we live right here in the nation's capital what better place to make our voices heard on this subject. I will help you mobilize the congregation we was about a 700 number corrugation much bigger we had a lotta. Field trips. I will help you mobilize the congregation. And will begin protesting these illegal and immoral practices let's get go. So very soon linda and a few other members of the congregation that she managed to gather around her decided. The best way we could begin to protest. This as a current gation this. Policy of our government to torture people. What's to have respectful religious vigils on. Busy mass avenue right outside than the naval observatory where the vice president. Mr. cheney who is the primary architect of this policy lives many of you know that beautiful place in washington. So one cold wednesday night that winter. We had 75 members of the church all spread out with candles and big signs that said. Torture is a moral torture is evil stopped at archer shame on us about 75 of us gathered. The secret service took dick cheney in the back entrance. At 5:30 so he wouldn't have to see. Soon thereafter several other religious groups the quakers. Presbyterian lutheran episcopal roman catholics and others joined us. And we have these regular we called them religious vigils against torture. Including upwards of 200 people standing on that curve place on mass avenue where you can see the official vice president. Residence. Before long. Linda and others had organized a formal group we are cat. The washington region religious campaign against torture. And that led to a near cat. The national. Religious campaign against torture. I spoke at near cat's first national rally in front of the white house just a couple months after we started. And we continued regular protest outside of vice-president cheney's residence on a weekly basis. Soon the organization and our efforts to end torture. Started to gain national recognition. The ford foundation. And other national funding bodies. Heard about us and gave us lots of money ford foundation over half a million that first year. It wasn't long before we had an office downtown. International director who's still serving us. And the organization. Named linda. Presidents. And they began the staff did that we hired. Beginner national lobbying effort. 2nd west. Immediately following the election of president obama. The leadership of ncat including linda were invited into the white house. Receipt with. High-ranking representatives. And one of the first. Executive orders. The president obama issue. As you all know. What's the stop. American. Linda is still president. Avenir cat. Which is still working now mostly. 2m torture around the world in another venues though it's still a danger. In america. National life. If you want to know more about. Go to the national. Just coalition against the. Against. Torture website. It's very easy to find. I tell you this story. About this. Strong and smart person. To remind you of the importance of religious individuals to resist. When they believe evil. Is being done. Now i understand the torture and and you know enhanced irrigation. Is that is a debatable point that some people to pay i don't care about that particular issue. What's important is if you believe evil is being done you must resist. This one member of the congregation i serve pretty much single-handedly by the sheer force of her moral will an outrage. Persuaded me and many other people in the washington area. To find our voice. On this moral issue and to get actively involved in resisting what we believe to be shameful. American pie. So why am i telling all of you this here in vero beach. Several years after president obama. Has officially ended torture. As an american policy. The larger point forever unitarian universalist. Across the landscape of our lives. To understand that it matters. That we is religious p. Find a voice. And resist and rafi. What we know to be wrong. Including perhaps. Two acts of civil disobedience like those of theodore parker. And dietrich bonhoeffer. This morning i am preaching the third installment. Of my year-long 12-part sermon series on 12 gates to the city. The sermon series i'm exploring 12 different pathways which i believe have the power to help us enter. The holy city. Of our own lives. To become the fullest. And finest people we can become. I am passionately persuaded that resistance. Resistance to wall that we not morally discern to be wrong or evil is one of those gates. We have to walk through. If we are to be what we should be. It is not enough. In the religious anyone's religious and moral life. And i'm going to be talking here about to interconnected polarity. It is not enough. Just simply affirm one's positive purposeful beliefs like the seven principles. That we print in your order of service every sunday. But to be fully and faithfully religious. When you do affirm and then also. To resist. What saint paul. Nearly 2,000 years ago described as those powers and principalities of darkness. That are always present pernicious lie. In human life and society. I quote directly from paul's letter to the ephesians. From christian scriptures. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities. Against powers. Against rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness. In high places. Tell me if you see the world any differently. What i believe is it in every human time. And every human community and society most often without anyone actually intending it. There is always. Human error. And human ignorance. Evil and wrongdoing which diminishes. And destroys life. And the value of. Humanities historical record reveals. The few in power ever actually set out to do eve. But given our leaders this benefit of the doubt. But they are not doing immoral and evil things intentionally. Does not mean that we can accept their dehumanizing or immoral policies and practices. We simply must resist. That. Is wrong. Evil with every fiber of our moral being even if we know those leaders in charge think they're doing. The right. All nuances. And extenuating circumstances aside. It remains the obligation of all religious people. To resist that. The value of. Evoland error wherever we find it find of. It was 18th century english philosopher edmund burke. Who once famously and wisely observed. All that is necessary. For the triumph of evil. Is it good men and women. You've all heard that. All it is necessary. For the triumph of. Is the good men and women. Resist. This kind of spiritual and religious resistance i'm speaking. Happens whenever good and caring men and women after grappling with all the real complexities of any situation. Speak up an act up against what they perceived to be evil and unjust in their times and they struggle with others of goodwill. To defend human worth and dignity wherever it is. Again as i have already observed this morning. The affirmation of our faith and the resistance saying no. It's kind of a spiritual helix. Interwoven. A helix of conversation and connection. You cannot resist evil and error unless you are clear about what your face affirms. These are sister and brother dementia. Face. Because of our affirmative unitarian universalist principles linda and the other members of the river road congregation and i which mobilized to protest in and us torture. 6 new. With moral clarity and conviction. Why indiscriminate torture prisoners was ethically. Sweet we knew why this was. It is unacceptable because of our first principle. Inherent worth of dignity of every purse. And another one of our princess. Talks about justice. Adecco. Compassion. I believe to be a unitarian universalist means that you must resist. Anything that. Produces or destroys our demands are abrogates. The words. Indignity. And this is certainly. But. None of this. Knowing precisely why our beliefs call us to act. Pickup makes religious resistance. Resistance can be very difficult. Even dangerous. In real life. Especially when passions in the stakes run high. It is never easy in our communities or in our culture or in our nation. To stand up weather in private or in public. And confront those you believe to be engaged in wrongdoing those powers and. Principality. Which austin. Power to silence. My colleague david schwartz recently wrote this about religious resist. To resist. We need both to develop critical awareness and to trust our own voice. It takes courage to speak. Speaking out is hard to do i don't even mean speeches before thousand i mean it can be downright difficult in a group of three people. To speak out say in a lunchroom. At work. And stand firm on behalf of. You believe in. It is a skill to take spray. And it takes trust in one's own power. And the belief that you have something to offer and that you can make a difference. And then david goes on. Is faith in one's voice. Is slowly building in a thousand tiny ways. Continually a roading. In a thousand ways. And the courage. Comes. Apart from. And then he makes an important point about how it congregation. Help this. Our church community. It's such a community of practice. It isn't environment. Where we can speak out our minds and be taken serious. And then he goes on and we must keep ever vigilant against good people. With good rational reason. Trying to convince us of terrible things. Perhaps you've heard the debate recently. On the merits of torture. The merits of torture he writes. Above all we must attend diligent. To our relationship with the divine. The root. It gives us strength. The journey in the courage. Speak in this way. Maybe journey together. From silence. Prime acceptance. To action. Sending down deep roots to the divine. And aligning our lives. With our deepest. This dear friend. Is why resistant. Is such a crucial gate. To the holy city. Of your own life. You will never find the city. The holy city of your own life. If there is a gap. Between your life. And your values. If you are silent. When you know something. Although. Would be a more peaceable and pleasant if it were so. Again and again in our religious and moral lives we are called upon to. Protest. To resist. To confront. May each of us. When necessary. Right where we live. Often in the little ways that ultimately makes such a big difference. May we find the curve. Funny most needed. To speak up. Adapter. When what we value. And love. In human life. And what we know to be good and true and right. Is threatened. Even buy them. Rational. In our day-to-day lives. Maybe no deep to our bones what we believe in and why. And find the courage. Find the courage. To defend those truths. And values. But like closest.

uufvb_org

2010Jun06sermon32.mp3

This sermon contains interlocking words on values plus him and the reading so i'm going to ask you to remain seated. Two lights yes. Laughing crying and sharing and questioning that leads me to value number to seek out new ideas and new learning opportunities frequently. I really resume but that last line where every door is open wide for all who choose to step inside. along with me now. It comes that time to extinguish the chalice light the words are in your order of service as well as on the screen repeat with me please the chalice light is going out for this day what week area like maybe let our light shine so others may see they are like never go out in closing.

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2014Dec14Sermon128.mp3

Well good morning. Feels like it's going to warm up beautifully today it'll be a lovely day here on the treasure coast and welcome. To the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we are so pleased you decided to begin this sunday with us. We are current gation of open minds loving hearts and helping hands people seeking to become our best individual selves. Even this together was a congregation we work to make. This world a better place. And please know that you're welcome precisely as you come to us this morning. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity what do you have a ged or a phd. Whether you are a visitor for us with us the first time this morning or have been coming for decades. Whether you're feeling on top of the world or down in the dumps as christmas approaches. We are delighted to see you. Just as you come. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful. And enriching that you will find something here this morning to take with you. To make the days and the weeks ahead better and more fulfilling. Well lie i heard it on the local radio this morning the announcer said in almost a breathless tone they're only 10 more shopping days until christmas but we still have time to buy our last-minute present. And who doesn't have more shopping to do. Yes i know but this annual christmas consumer countdown. That all the retailers push so hard it's got me thinking about another larger truth. And that is the fact that december 14th. Means that we have 10 more days for things deeper. And more valuable than shopping. We have 10 more days for example. To think about our family and friends and plan how we are going to give our love. And we have 10 more days to regain the spirit of wonder and delight. The anime every child in this season of lights. Music. And gifts. And we have 10 more days. To open our hearts to the blessed sentiments of this season piece. Love. Compassion and goodwill to all sentiments we are free each of us. To embody all. Here. Yes. The retailers are right. There are 10 more shopping days until christmas. But that means they're also 10 more days to bring the true spirit of christmas. Indoor homes and into our hearts. So i can go to the intellectual after i choose a topic and decide what i'm going to say about it i go looking for readings to support my argument. And so after i chose this. The real war on christmas i found this reading which lee will share with you the so-called war on christmas by father peter michael preble. Who is a romanian. Orthodox priests. So. Tis the season for some christians to get all worked up over the perceived war on christmas. I used to be one of those who would get upset when someone would say happy holidays rather than merry christmas. I used to get peeved when one town after another with outlaw their christmas display. Then i started to see news reports of how christians are being treated in other parts of the world. And suddenly all seemed so stupid. I would like to ask you a series of questions to frame my response to all of this war on christmas nonsense. Are you as a christian prevented. By anyone from setting up a christmas tree in your house. Are you as a christian prevented from attending the church of your choice. On christmas eve or christmas day. Are you as a christian prevented. From sharing merry christmas. Do anyone you choose. Or when you here copy holidays. Do you respond with merry christmas. Have armed rebels stormed your church or home and taking you hostage or shot you in the street. For being a christian. My guess your answer to all these questions is no. Just yesterday it was reported in the news that syrian rebels. Re-entered a syrian city. Entered a christian monastery which also serves as an orphanage. Kidnap the 12 nuns living there and desecrated. The church. The monasteries church. This was done for no other reason. That they were christian. .. If persecute. The real reason for this season of christmas is the story itself. A couple could not find a place for a woman to have her child. They knocked on door after door and were turned away from each of them. Until they found a place in a barn. With the animals. She lay in the hay. And she gave birth to her son. Not with trumpets sounding. But with the sound of animals. Core there with her. Shunned by all of humanity it was the animals that witnessed. The very breath. Of our savior. Christ came into this world in the humblest way a human can. In a space that his parents borrow. Full of animals. Christ came into this world to dwell in your heart. Not in some plastic figure on a lawn of the town hall. The true spirit of christmas lies within each and every one of us in our hearts. Not at walmart. I'm not in target. We are to love and help each other. To worship the god who created us. I'm we do that in church and in our life. Not around a tree. The real war on christmas is the number of people who will go without food and adequate housing. The real war on christmas is the teenage girl who has been thrown out on the street by her parents. Because she is pregnant. The real war on christmas is the stranger that will not be welcomed just because he looks different. Then the rest of us. The real war on christmas is the fact that most churches will be virtually empty. On christmas eve and christmas day. Get the retail outlets will be jam-packed. Is the real war on christmas. If we keep the spirit of christmas alive in our hearts and in our homes if we keep the true spirit of christmas in mind then the war on christmas suddenly becomes nonsense. So next time you're standing in line gripping your credit card buy more stuff that you do not need and getting further in debt and the person behind you in line. I'm at the cash register says happy holidays. Look sam in the eye. And say thank you. I wish them a merry christmas. It is the season to be jolly. Let's get jolly. So as must be obvious to all of you here we are once again smack-dab in the middle of december. The holiday season with all its festivities of brightness enjoy has once again. wing. Yep predictably right on cue is the good father froebel observed in this morning's reading. Conservative commentators mostly on fox news and talk radio are loudly decrying what they have decided is a war on christmas. Being waged they say. By the aclu and other non-christian organizations and individuals who they perceive. To be preventing christian from fully expressing themselves at this special time of year. There's only one thing i can say to these self-appointed christmas warriors. Who are so vociferously complaining that their sacred holiday. Is being attacked and ruined by others and that they are being persecuted as christians and that is nonsense my friend. You are full of nonsense. I agree completely with father prebel. Who in the reading debunked all the psistaria about somehow christmas being. Attacked and ruin. By those who simply and of course i believe rightly insist. Betamerica municipalities and public schools. Honor the long-standing american principle of the separation of church and state. By refraining from imposing at this holiday time of year. Christian stories christian songs christian symbol on everyone. Christian and non-christian alike. Fox news personality bill o'reilly and others largely blamed the american civil liberties union for the swarm christmas. And here for your consideration is their response to this if you go to the aclu website it's right there on the homepage this december. The aclu right. In recent years culturally conservative commentators have declared. But there's a so-called war on christmas. And in many cases have claimed that we the aclu are leading the charge. This simply isn't true. Religious expression they write is a valued and protected part of the first amendment rights guaranteed to us all. Christmas. They observe. Is pervasive in america. And except when the government is being used to promote religious beliefs it is entirely constitutional. Well christmas the aclu goes on. What christmas displays are being placed in front of home. Churches and businesses all across the country. And as carolers go door-to-door with songs of christmas cheer. These cultural warriors say the christmas is being removed. Jamal public mansion. And persist with these declarations about quote a war on christmas. The constitutional rights of people to worship preached and carols and celebrate christmas in their churches. As with their families and friends whether in public or private. Is well-protected. The aclu has itself advocated on behalf of people. Who wants to celebrate christmas. The real question and here they arrive at the nub of their. Is not whether people can celebrate christmas. They certainly can. But wasn't the government. Should be promoting religious beliefs and practices which it most certainly should not. And then the aclu statement concludes by saying. When the smoke of battle clears in america. Christmas is completely safe. Unquote. But none of these reassurances by the aclu and others are good enough for those who persist. And accusing american liberals and secularists is waging a war on christmas in kristen's indeed there's even a full-length book about it. I bought it. Don't read it. It's a waste of time. Is devoted to the is it is entitled. The warren christmas how the liberal plot to ban the sacred christian holiday is worse than you thought. Is written by john gibson who is i don't know a fox news commentator. I quote from the jacket. In the united states of america a nation overwhelmingly christian. Any sign of christmas in public can now lead to complaints litigation angry protest rats and bruised feelings. Secular liberals say they are just protecting the constitutional rights of non christians who don't want to see or hear about christmas. But what about the constitutional rights of millions of americans he goes on. Who simply want to celebrate their traditional holiday. This book he writes unveils the coordinated work. Of the aclu lawyers. Professional atheist. Professional atheist. And christian haters who has taken the war on christmas to your front door. Again i urge you not to buy and read this book it goes on to devote 190 pages to breathlessly chronicle 7 actual real examples where lawsuits and other actions. We're brought to bear in towns and cities across america to ensure. The rights of non-christian not to have christianity imposed in their town public squares as in their public schools all of these cases are simply about that. Town squares and public schools. The book suggests that now in america it is christians. And christianity. Which are under attack. And that it is their minority-majority rights as christians that are being abrogated stifled and endangered. The bottom line here. Is it those who accuse liberals and secularists of waging an all-out war on christmas. Are outraged. And horrified and they actually feel victimized. Whenever and wherever someone dares to push back. Even a little bit on the very public christian overload. We have to go through every december. All this outrage. In spite of the overwhelming truth that for the entire month of december and now god help us into november. Almost everything in america is wall-to-wall christmas. Talk radio is take radio just as one example at this time of year and every meet media market in the country you can have christmas carols 24/7 from two weeks before thanksgiving god help us. They devote their entire format they turn it over. 22. Christmas carol. And our televisions are absolutely saturated with those saccharine-sweet christmas specials if hallmark produces one more i'll vomit. Endless twisted christmas advertising including prosperous looking santa claus's cheerfully hohoho going as they sell $80,000 lexus's. And our stores as you know or decorated head-to-toe in green and red with christmas music blaring from every speaker. In america christmas absolutely dominates our homes. Our stores are media are churches. Our schools and our family gathering. So how do we in god's name understand this indignant feeling on the on the part of so many american christian. That the culture is somehow waging war on them. Here is what i think is really going on. For the entirety of american history christian. In all of their denominational variations. Have enjoyed. A powerful majority status of privilege. Status of privilege. Who's right. How to freely and fully express themselves. Whenever wherever and however they like. Has seldom if ever been challenged. But now as america becomes a much more multicultural. And spiritually and religiously much more diverse. People who do not identify as christian. Are in fact beginning to finally speak up. And ask that america makes room for them to at the cultural table. No one is waging war against christianity as bill o'reilly indignantly insist but non-christians are beginning to demand that the culture not assume everyone is christian. And acknowledged that not everyone is enthralled with christian doctrine christian song christian symbol. Not especially in public schools. Or in the town's public square. And so jewish parents are now respectfully. Standing up and asking their public school to plan december concerts that do not. Force their nine-year-old sons to sing. Oh little town of bethlehem. And muslim an atheist and hindu taxpayers. Are asking their city and town governments not at this time of year. To use public funds. And public space. To set up a lighted crush. Choosing christian story and symbol. Over all others. Both of these requests of course are perfectly reasonable and constitutional. For we all know that the first amendment of the united states constitution says in no uncertain terms. The government shall not establish. Or favor. Any one religion but she'll honor and protect all religious expression. And yet. Many traditional christians feel they are. Singularly being persecuted. Anytime anyone dares to stay in this holiday season. I'm not a christian. And i don't really care to be steamrolled by your cultural and political assumption. That everyone is. You know what occurs to me that this whole war on christmas asteria is really. About a broader problem that being the blinders of american privilege. The blinders of american privilege. What is that. Simply the powerful assumptions and entitlements that come with being on top. Either numerically or in terms of power. In our society. And he's powerful blinders leave those in positions of privilege. Any position of privilege. To just assume that there. Right to everything preferential they have long enjoyed isn't violent and must be forever unquestioned. And so in our particular society for example this means that men. Are often surprised. When women demand equal pay and opportunities in equal rights before the law and fraternity boys are surprised when women object to being raped. In parties. And white. In our culture. Are startled when people of color pushback. Against the obvious racism and discrimination and prejudice this december after ferguson we all know what that means. And heterosexual. In our society. Bomb position of privilege. Can't understand it when gays and lesbians and bisexuals and transgender individuals demand the same rights and privileges no more just the same rights and privileges that the straight maturity. Enjoys like our wonderful attorney pam bondi who at a speech here before the election in vero complained that she was being bullied. But the gays and lesbians when she in fact is a bully. Who is presenting equal rights for all his men amazing how people of privilege. For me i'm being bull. You are the bully miss vaughn. And lastly in our culture of privilege christians. Imagine awards being waged again them against them in december when jews. And atheists and buddhists and yes unitarian universalist. Dare to ask that they not have christmas rammed down their throats in public squares. And in public schools. Do your christmas. But not in public. Places at. I think it's undeniable. But the larger problem of privilege. And it's binders lead so many traditional christians at this time of year to put their keep christ in christmas bumper stickers all over town. And treat themselves as they're the ones were somehow being persecuted and bullied. When is that all that's going on is it those in the minority are simply asking that they're right. Interrogative and perspectives be respect. Alright. So i hope i've been able to persuade you. My little too much passion on my part. That this whole war on christmas is basically one. Grand illusion. That is being wittingly and unwittingly perpetrated on the american people by a few for syphilis christian. Who can't stand the idea. That in this increasingly multicultural 21st century they have to share. The american cultural experience. And the public square and public teaching. With non-christians. But let's move on here. My complete and categorical rejection. Of the imagined war on christmas is not to say i don't believe christmas is under attack i do believe christmas. Is under a. Christmas and everything good and holy and compassionate it stands for is endangered. And it isn't danger frankly by some of the very people. Who pretend to be or imagine themselves to be its most ardent defenders. The true meaning of christmas as i understand it. Is threatens in our time. Not by secular humanists. Or the aclu. Or atheists or muslims. Or buddhists or hindus or jewish. But by those who self-righteous lee claim the mantle of christianity. Guess who seem. Willing and able to ignore subvert trivial and trivialize the true. An original message. Of that baby that was born in the stable. A man by the name of jesus of nazareth. I think father froebel. Had it just right in this morning's reading. The real war on christmas is weighed every time the loving. Inclusive compassionate teachings of jesus. Are ignored. Or twisted or co-opted in american life. Listen to the top words of christian. An environmental activist bill mckibben. At the moment america the idea of jesus has been hijacked by people with a series of causes that do not reflect his teachings. The bible mckibben right is a long book and there's a lot in there that is seemingly contradictory. And hard to figure out. But jesus was pretty specific. About what he had in mind for his followers. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no disputing the centrality of this message. Nor is there any disputing how easy it is to ignore that message. When just before his death the given goes on. Jesus summed up his message to his disciples. He said the way you could tell the righteous from the dam. Was whether they fed the hungry. Gave water. To the thirsty. Close the naked. Welcome the stranger. And visited the prisoner. And then mckibben says when one of the pharisees asked jesus. What the core of the law was jesus replied. You shall love your lord god. With all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and you shall love. Your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments jesus said. Hang all the law. And then mckibben ends. Love your neighbor as yourself. Although the rhetorical power of that statement has been dimmed by repetition. That is the radical notion. Perhaps the most radical notion possible. Especially since jesus and his teaching made it very clear. Who the neighbor was supposed you were supposed to love was. The poor person. The sick person the naked. Person the hungry. The last shall be made first. Turn the other cheek. A rich person aiming for heaven is like a camel. Trying to walk through the eye of a needle. On and on and on. Jesus called for nothing less. Then a radical. Voluntary. And effective reordering. A power. Relationships. Kevin says. A voluntary. Radical. Reordering. Power. Relationships. Bass. On the principle of love. I passionately agree with mckibben. That jesus. Recorded in the four gospel narratives which despite the fact they were. Compile decades after his death. Are in fact the only real historical record we have. Of what he said. What he taught. Jesus was very. Clear. About what he expected. Of his followers. Mckibben rights. His clarion this is me actually. His clarion call for social justice compassion and equality. Is a part of his message. Which seemingly many american christians want to ignore or at least soft-pedal. As they practice and proclaim their christianity if you attend. Any one of the big suburban mega churches that are so popular in american christianity today. Or watch some of the most successful television pastors like i do i i actually most the time enjoy joel orenstein who brought broadcast from houston from that. You know 20,000 people of sunday he preaches to. But if you watch and listen to the sermons. You'll hear a lot of these services about. Personal happiness. And how to achieve. Your personal fulfillment. And how to get your personal success. And salvation most especially ensuring that you and your loved ones. Ultimately receive your heavenly reward. But not much. Can you take popular christian venues with their rock band. Not much about our shared human responsibility. To build a charitable just and humane society for all. I again quote mckibben. Depending on which poll you look at somewhere around 85% of americans. Call themselves christian. America is a play saturated. In christian identity. But today but is today is that identity. Truly christian he asks. The dominant theologies of the moment that of the popular televangelists and the consumer-oriented suburban megachurches. Undercut jesus. Muffle his hard work. Dedham his call. And in the end they silenced him. In fact the soft-focus consumer gospel of the suburban megachurches. Is a perfect match. For the emergent conservative economic notions about personal prosperity. Rather than collective action. And then mckibben says. Privatize social security. Keep healthcare. For people who can afford it. While those under god helps those who help themselves. And then mckibben concludes. Most americans have replaced. The demanding gospel. That the demanding christianity of the bible. With its call for deep sharing and personal sacrifice with a competing creed. A soft focus comfortable. Consumer suburban stay. Focus on the needs. And wants of self. Desert. Individuals. There is no gentle way. For me to say this. I honestly do not understand how anyone can call themselves a quote serious. Bible-believing christian. And then choose to ignore. The clear and compelling social justice gospel. Of care and compassion for all person. Everywhere. Found again. And again. And again. And again in the true teachings of jesus. I am reminded of the famous one-liner chicago poet carl sandburg who once said. In the great city of chicago i know only two truly christian gentleman. And they're both jews. My point. Is that many in our culture seem to believe they can be good and righteous christian without. Being personally concerned. About the poor. Or the downtrodden the disadvantage that the spies and the disenfranchised. Many americans who want to be called followers of jesus seem to resent being asked as jesus suggested we must do. To sacrifice any of their personal wealth. For the comfort and care of others. For example and if you doubt me go online and look it up. The go to the christian coalition pat robertson's christian organization. They have a2014 agenda right on their website. These are the top. And most urgent priorities. That they have. They are not feeding the hungry not housing the homeless not caring for the poor the sick the imprison. But here the christian the christian priorities of the christian coalition are you ready for that. Christian. Priorities. 1. Defunding and rolling back obamacare. 2. Reducing government spending and debt. Free this is my favorite making sure the second amendment of the constitution is interpreted to mean that camino. Restrictions on guns in america jesus would love that one. Poor blocking marriage equality and equal rights for gay lesbian and bisexual person. 5 opposing liberal judicial nominees. And 6 get this one. Supporting unrestrained fracking and oil drilling and construction of the keystone pipeline jesus christ. That's the moral agenda of the christian coalition. What do you think jesus would say if he came back to earth and read that. i don't expect these has to come back i mean unitarian universalist but if you were able to come back 2000 years after his death he look at this agenda and he'd be outraged about how his name is being used. It seems to me that in our conflicted social times. The great theological struggle within christianity and i have many true christian friend. The great struggle within christianity. And i admit there's a bit of over-simplification here. Is the clear and painful divided in american christianity. Between the religion of jesus. And the religion about. Jesus. On the one hand there are those on the more liberal social justice side of the christian spectrum. Who seek to embody and serve. But i shall call the religion. The original religion of jesus. And thereby they strive these christian. To live up to this message of compassion and care and sharing. For the disenfranchised in the disadvantage. And then on the other side you have those on the more conservative end of the christian spectrum. Who are devoted to what i will call the religion about jesus. Which focuses its attention. On jesus as my personal savior. And therefore spent most of its spiritual attention. On the goal of personally achieving salvation. An eternal life. For me and my loved one. Here is the bottom line. This christmas season. My dear friends. Christmas must never be about. Selfishness. And materialism. Christmas must never. Ever. Be about crazed and greedy shoppers knocking each other down in the isles of walmart or punching each other as you see on the evening news around thanksgiving as they fight over the latest flat screen television on sale. Limited number don't you know. Dear god help the american people. Christmas must be about people like you and me. Quietly. Growing larger. More inclusive. And caring hearts. Christmas must be about people cultivating more generous lives. And lending themselves to the work of social and economic justice. For all. This is what the simple galilean preacher taught us. This is the holy saving message. We must never forget. And must always keep close to our hearts whether we think of ourselves. That's christian. Or not. So let me be. A gentle. Soldier. Of this season. As i strive to save christmas from all those who mock. And trivialize it. With their shallow consumerism. And personal greed. Let me be a gentle soldier of the season as i strive to live up. To the true challenge and call of christmas. The challenge and call that jesus of nazareth. Lived. And died for. This december may i. Evermore live. Into a life. A care. And responsibilities. Are all of god's children. And this christmas. May i and may all of you. Ever know. You're in the soluble high and holy connection. To every man. Woman and child. That walks this earth. And they send you on your way this christmas holiday with these words. A president calvin coolidge. Christmas is not a time or a season. But a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill to be plenteous. In mercy is to have the real spirit of christmas. If we think on these things there will be born in us a savior. Andover us will shining star. Sending a gleam of hope. Into the world.

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2014Nov23Sermon128.mp3

Good morning and welcome welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we are so pleased you've chosen to begin this sunday with us we are congregation is you just top of open minds loving hearts and helping hands people seeking to become our best individual cells even as together we work to make our world a more just and kind and loving place and please know you're welcome precisely as you come to us this sunday before thanksgiving whether you are young or old gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity whether you have a ged or a phd whether you've been a member here for decades or this is your first sunday. Whether you were feeling on top of the world or down in the dumps or somewhere in between we welcome you we celebrate your presence among us. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful enriching that you'll find something here this morning to take with you that will make your days and weeks ahead to me more joyous and meaningful and responsible. For the sun and the dawn which we did not create. For the moon and the evening which we did not make. For food which we plant but cannot grow. For friends and loved ones we have not earned. And cannot buy. For all things that come to us as gifts of being from sources beyond ourselves. Gifts of life and love and friendship. We lift up our hearts and give thanks this day. Mornings reading. Is from christian scriptures. Luke 12:15 221. And jesus said to him. Take heed and beware of all covetousness for a man's life does not consist in the abundance. Of his possessions. And then he told them a parable saying. The land of richmond brought forth plentifully. Any thought to himself. What should i do for i have nowhere to store my crops. And he said i will do this i will tear down my barns and build larger one. And there i will store all my grain. At all my goods. And i will say to my soul soul you have ample goods laid up for many years take he's eat drink. And be merry. But god said to him. Pool. This night your life will be demanded of you. And the things you have prepared. Who's will they be. So. Is he who lays up his treasure. For himself. And is not rich. Ford. Hirons. Good morning reading. So this morning as we approached the busy holiday season that begins with thanksgiving and ends with christmas i want to talk about stuff. And the relationship physical emotional and spiritual we have with all of the stuff. In our lives now everyone knows that america is the world's top. Consumer. Economy. And there's simply no other way to say it their friend we are and enthusiastically materialistic culture that is grown dependently dependent economically and emotionally on everybody buying and consuming. Lots of stuff. It must be obvious to all of you why i would broach the subject now in the year. We are entering the holiday season when our habitual american spending and consuming reaches its annual fever pitch. This is a festive family-oriented time of the year when all but the poorest of americans. Go on an absolute or gr close to one of buying acquiring and consuming stuff. I want to line recently to look up the actual facts and figures about american holiday spending we spend more than three. Trillian. Dollars in the months of november and december on stuff including food for ourselves and loved one. It is widely as it is widely reported in the media every autumn. This holiday spying season is in fact the engine for the entire american consumer economy. Most retailers from the big box stores right down to the little store owner depend on this holiday buying season to ensure. Profits for the year. Indeed each year leading economist issued dire warnings about what would happen. If american consumers even curtail or restrain a little bit their holiday by suggesting it's downright on american not to get caught up into this fever pitch of consumption. No. It used to be that americans patiently waited until the day after thanksgiving. The black friday. To line up in the wee hours of the morning at all the big box stores and much to our national shame run screaming down the aisles knocking each other down clawing and scratching one another you'll see the reports again this year on the television news you know people literally almost trampled to death in some cases perhaps. All because their people are after those a few flat screen tv video games and other electronic devices that are available. But now i've courses you all know. We now have what is everybody can call the cursive thanksgiving day consumer creep. With more and more shameless retailers doing their damnedest. To entice americans away from that sacred hour at their family tables. What does star fluorescently isles of these vast american emporiums of. Stuff. And ever more stuff. Stick with your stuffing. Forget the stop. Look. I'll make absolutely no attempt by the way i didn't have it written i just occurred to me as a good sound bite. I will make no attempt to hide my outrage and disgust here i unashamedly join with so many commentators on american life was religious and secular. In the crying the seeming endless consumerism of this holiday season to jesting as i will this morning. That there's something fundamentally unhealthy and irrational and destructive about are rampant american acquisitiveness. Most especially at this time of year. Simply put. Most of us do not have a proper and healthy relationship. With all the stuff. We are ever more steadily acquiring in our lives. In there now classic book unplug the christmas machine a book i wish i had a little larger picture that's the cover i hardly recommend this to you if you have children and grandchildren authors robinson and stale. Right about the seductive psychology of this compulsive american pattern. Of acquiring more and more stuff that we really don't need every christmas i quote them. The christmas machine. Has the power over us because it knows how to woo us. It speaks to the deepest profoundest and most sacred desires of the human heart. If it appeared as a monster we would rise up and stop it. But the commercial message of christmas appears as promises that bring tears to our eyes. Look at the bounty we are promised by the december magazines in the glowing christmas commercial our families will be together and happy. Our children will be well-behaved and grateful. Are wise will be beautiful and nurturing our husband will be kind generous and appreciative we'll have enough money we'll have enough time we'll have fun will be warm will be safe will be truly love. And then they go on no wonder we stop we listen and we want to believe the problem comes. When we buy into the notion they right. That what we long for can be procured by the buying and selling of goods we believe that if we buy and receive more christmas presents are in her lies will be fuller. Will finally be safe and satisfied in the world. And then they end the key to unplugging the machine. Is knowing what you really want. People who take time to identify their real longings and a realistic about which of those longings can be satisfied by christmas can then go on to create a holiday. That gives him great joy and satisfaction unquote. You may be interested to know that for some years now there's been $100 holiday movement begun by author and social activist bill mckibben where each participating family promises itself not to spend. More than $100 on presents relying instead on simple homemade gift or on presence of service and time. That expresses their love to family and friends i quit mckibben. Several years ago a few of us in the northern new york and vermont conference of the united methodist church started a campaign we called 100. Dollar holiday. The church leadership voted to urge for asher's not to spend more than $100 per family on present and reliance dad upon simple homemade gifts and presents of services a backrub. Stacking a cord of firewood. The first year i made walking sticks for everyone. Last year i made spicy chicken sausage. My mother has embraced the idea by making calendars illustrated by snapshots of the family she's taken during the year. And then he tried a hundred dollar figure was a useful anchor against the constant seductions of the advertiser. A way to explain to children why they weren't getting everything on their list. So far our daughter sophie does fine at christmas. Her stocking is exciting to us talk to her the tree is exciting skating on the pond is exciting. It's worth mentioning however we don't have a television so she may not understand the level of her impoverishment. It is modest. And yet at the same time is pretty radical. Christmas it turns out is the bulwark of our nation's economy. And so it hits the nerve to question whether it all makes sense whether we should celebrate the birth of a man. Who said we should give all that we have for the poor. By showering each other with motorized. Hyrax. And then that's a great line isn't it. And then e n. It's radical for another reason too. If you believe that our american consumer addiction represents our deepest problem. But it's the force that keeps us from reaching out to each other. And building a fair society the forest to drive so much of our environmental degradation. Then christmas is the nadir. Store advertising works it's powerful dark magic year round. But on christmas morning with everyone piling downstairs to mounds of presents consumption is literally made. Sacred. Here under the tree with roots going back to our into prehistory here next to the crash. With a figure of an ancient and infant child of god. We pressed stuff on each other stuff that becomes powerfully connected in our head. To love. Two-family. And even to salvation. Unquote. Now is admirable and high-minded as this vermont movement is i suspect a hundred-dollar family christmas buying limit maybe a bit to a steer for most of us. Honestly certainly it is for me. But collins with collins and i have been trying to do over recent years has to genuinely cut way back. On our christmas spending buying and consuming especially the stuff we do for each other. Let me just give one example. Where is the nearest before we used to buy are wide extended family and friends what we thought were tasteful. And rather expensive tangible gifts for their home in a beautiful vases and artwork and stuff like that we now just send gift packs of delicious indian river fruit. Not only is it a healthy welcome. And renewable gift for who does not appreciate the vitamin c-rich oranges and grapefruit. And you know in like mike my family in wisconsin that you know they're all getting scurvy in january farmers and the agricultural economy here in indian river. As the authors i have earlier quoted point out what happens to many of us at this time of year. It is that we get seduced by the misguided belief that somehow or acquiring more and more stuff. Will somehow bring us the love satisfaction and contentment we also think that desperately seek. Do i want to be the first to crawl into the confession booth this morning and i've asked ellendale shot who's the unitarian version of vanna white to help me ellen will you please come out and help me. What in the world is that collection. I do in my case. Buying ties isn't it is a symptom of an irrational and largely unreflective acquisitiveness i love necktie and because buying clothes is one of the ways i pamper myself especially if i'm feeling just a little blue is that go out and buy neckties. And also another other unnecessary clothing on my part slacks and shirts i like the all via temporary wayne new clothes make me feel so i go out and buy them i bought this suit day before yesterday but i needed one actually i was down to one black suit and i didn't want to always look like a funeral director. Without much discernment or self-examination thank you van i mean thank you ellen. That i am not the only one in this room who has an unhealthy and irrational relationship with some sort of stuff you like to acquire you can all crawl into your own confession booth right now thinking what if one of my god likes.. We all have unhealthy and unrestrained relationships with self and none of us is entirely able to defend ourselves against the relentless tide. Of expanding consumerism. And an important aside here at some point this morning and must also be sad. Set acquisitiveness the desire to acquire wealth and possessions and comfort. Is a natural part. Of what it means to be human. People everywhere in all continents and cultures like to acquire things we are animals after all who naturally seek the most we haven't of the lions in the jungle. Satisfy their wants and hungers and so do we. To suggest that we can completely change or eradicate this natural tendency to have things. Is unrealistic. But many of us without so much as a conscious thought have fallen into a nearly unstageable lifestyle of acquisition and accumulation a lifestyle that spirals out of control and more and more think in describing our national addiction 22 possessions and consumption indiana sas scott russell sanders write. For every voice in our land that echoes thoreau's famous please simplify simplify. A dozen cry. Amplify. Amplify. You all know the shameful statistics about the excesses of american consumerism. We are far and away the most acquisitive people on the earth for a couple of generations americans have been driven by a seemingly insatiable list to consuming have our country which makes up about 4% of the world's population. We consume over 40% of its resources. One way of thinking about this is that we consume and take over 8 times our share. Vastly more than we should you know where we in a world we need to be responsible toward one another. I recently read a new york times that one of the hottest business sectors in america is guess what. Storage. Unit facilities we filled up our houses. I invested $40,000 in this on friday. Perhaps another symptom of runaway american possessiveness is this increasingly common phenomenon of hoarding you've all seen those hideous voyeuristic tv shows that given the homes of mentally ill american to hoard so much stuff that they are literal danger they've allowed to accumulate in their homes i had a hoarder in my second church in plainfield new jersey their bedroom had little narrow aisles and it was filled all the way to the ceiling with stuff. And they were literally in danger of suffocating if that stuff ever came down. In this morning's little knowing and i think very powerful scripture reading jesus warns his disciples against covetousness. Against tearing down their barn. To build bigger. And bigger ones. And here i think is a spiritual key found in this piece of scripture at the end of it jesus said. He who lays up treasure for himself. Is not rich in the things of god. Know what i think jesus meant by this. Is a possessions consumer goods personal wealth. Have the power to become like gods in our lives false and empty and idolatrous gods idols of the spirit if you will. The have the power to distract and distance us from that which is truly holy in our lives from that which is of god if you will. This is at least as spiritually relevant to us today as it was to the people of judea. Jesus spoke. Shopping in america is 4 many more than a pastime or logistical necessity it is a religion. The shopping malls which are the both vast and commonplace in every community. Rs1 social critic put it shimmering temples of our affluenza. Here is a spiritual point dear friends. Sitting amidst the clutter of more and more things which madison avenue tells us we need don't you love those ads by the way where santa claus is saying alexis for yourself you know by a $45,000 mercedes you deserve it. Distract you. From the things of god. Elmo's deep sustaining holy things. Which lie about us in our daily living which alone have the power to bless and satisfya. And if you're human astara rational pragmatist don't let the word god hear distract you use any philosophical language you want it has the things of ultimate worth the things that are holy and sacred wonderful 2. Stop. Affluence. Possession. Have the pernicious power to keep us from seeing and stealing. And knowing the true treasures of our living and one of these treasures. I've been talking to you about them for the entire five years i've been your minister. The most holy sacred things in our lives are simple everyday relationships. With self. What's family with neighbor with nature. With community and with god or the mystery of all. It is simple relationships. Where we find. The greatest holness. Sa scott sas scott russell sanders again. If we imagine the the fullness with urine for can be reckoned in dollars or yen or purchased in stores there will be no end to our craving. We can however shift the focus of our expansive desires. We can change the standards by which we measure prosperity. We can choose to lead a materially simpler life. Not as a sacrifice. What is a path toward greater fulfillment. We could cut back you right. Dramatically on our food and fuel consumption wood and metal use and the size of our houses and wardrobe. Without suffering any real deprivation. We could free the surplus for others to use and free ourselves from the burden of lugging it around as ellen almost had to drop to her knees with the weight of my neckties we may increase the likelihood of peace by living modestly and sharing what we have. And arnie and thus our needs and the needs of the planet coincide and here is where russell arrives at the spiritual numbers what i'm saying through this morning. Less burdened by possessions. Left frenzy by activities we might play more with our children. Look after our elders. Plant flowers. Read books. Make music. Come to know the local birds and trees we might take better care of the land. We might lie down at night. And rise up in the morning without feeling the cramp of anxiety. Instead of leaving around like grasshoppers from notion to notion. We might sit still and think in a connected way. About our families. Our communities. And about the meaning of life. In my book everyday spiritual practice my friend and colleague ken brown. Who's one of our ministers on the west coast. Wrote an essay for that book on voluntary simplicity. And i'm sure you're all familiar with the voluntary simplicity movement which began in 1936 when richard gregg coined the phrase. I called him. Voluntary simplicity involves both an inner. And an elder condition. It means the singleness of purpose. Sincerity and honesty within as well as avoidance of exterior clutter. As many possessions irrelevant to the chief purpose of life. It means an ordering and a guiding of our energy. And our desires it means and here's the key phrase a partial. Restraint. In some directions in order to secure greater abundance of life and other direction. It involves deliberate organization of life for a purpose. Please remember that phrase partial restraint. Probably more talking about the stuff in our lies it doesn't mean you have to like henry david thoreau move to the little. Drafty cabin on some little pond and and shoe leather for dinner it doesn't mean that. It means rather for us scaling pack. Shifting the nature of our relationships with possessions and luxury than simply doing. With less. Take this christmas of 19 of 2014 for example. If you're like me this bill mckibben's hundred-dollar upper family christmas pledge. Is a bit too radical. But if you spent a thousand last year maybe you and your family. Compare back to 500. Instead of buying the latest iphone or the motorized tyrek i don't own a motorized tyrek i just. Leave mine in clever like many of you women have shoes in the bottom of your closet and nevermind. Instead of buying the latest iphone or the largest flat screen tv. How about giving each other gifts the truly and rich the heart and mind like theater tickets. Museum passes. Or dinner out for your brother and his wife who live in wisconsin why not do that instead. There are lots of healthier less materialistic. Holiday choices we can make. I want to quickly quote my colleague can. Too often we think of simple living and voluntary simplicity we think only of giving up. Simple living isn't about ridding oneself of things as much as recognizing what is an important and vital in your life. When it's simplicities greatest practitioners mahatma gandhi. Had a similarly broadview when he said. Civilization in the real sense of the term. Consists not in the multiplication. But in the deliberate and voluntary reduction of want this alone. Promotes happiness and contentment. And scott russell sanders points out that beginning to live more intentionally. To change your relationship with and dependence upon.. Does not necessarily mean you have to be, some pure austere monk. Who is relinquished everything except a pair of sandals. And a rice bowl. He quote you says. The simplicity i see. Is not the enforced austerity of the poor. I seek instead and listen to this phrase i seek instead the richness. Of a gathered. And deliberate life. They gathered and deliberate life which comes from letting one's belongings and commitments. Be fewer in number. And higher in quality. And ken goes on to make what i think is a real important point. Each of us must decide how to do this ourselves. Moving to a more simple lifestyle means making an intentional decision. But it must be your own decision. And your own definition. As different people have different purposes in life you right. What is relevant to the purpose of one person may not be relevant to the other. And the degree of simplification. Is a matter for each individual to settle for him or herself there's no i think. Cookie cutter overlayment that we can place on everyone flies. Let me speak personally for a moment. I will never consciously urge you to do something from the pulpit that i myself and not prepared spiritually or emotionally to do myself. I'm preaching the sermon this morning because i personally want to develop. A simpler less cluttered less acquisitive more responsible life. I want to have a less covetous relationship with possessions and things so i have more spiritual time and space and energy my life. To develop those sustaining deep relationships. But i talked about which jesus called. Things of god. Again. Does elemental relationships with self. And loved ones and family and friends. But i'm also not honestly prepared nor do i think i must be. To relinquish all or even most of my obvious privilege and possessions as an american. So i don't think i have to do some radically self-sacrificing pure nobility. It's just too much for most of us human animals to give up. But i do believe i can find in my life. I'm more appropriate and responsible balance. Between relinquishment and possession. Through a process of discernment and discipline of intentionality. I can begin to choose a simpler more modest life. Which again not only will make me better but it will also provide more goods and services for others around the world. Now again each of us must find our own pattern of voluntary simplicity that works for us. Whether it's simplifying our diet or our clothing or are making our home smaller. Or reducing our general patterns of consumption. Each of us must freely choose. This is not something you can impose on people. To modify and restrain our relationship with stuff. And again here is a good news. When our hearts learn to hold all the stuff that is around us more loosely. When in our daily living we loosen our whole. all the possessions that's so seductively backing us. To have and hold them even when we do not truly need them. Again life's holiest treasures. Curiously become available to us. As jesus said paradoxically. It isn't the act of giving up. Did we get new riches in living. Living more simply and more responsibly. So my salvation. And joy and purpose in this life i'm positive will not come through another $25. Necktie. But rather. By my quietly spending an evening with dear old friends over a messy dinner table days and soft candlelight. Or walking quietly by myself in riverside park listening to the songs that the bird. And the palmetto trees responding gently to the embrace of the wind. Or by joining with others to work locally to end some small piece of human. Injustice or any quality. Are my waking up gently in the morning next to my mate. Who is the love me so irrationally all these years. And silently whispering my credittude. These are the sacred things of life. These are the things of goodness and contentment. These are the greatest possessions of living. So don't. Tear. Down. Your barns. Good friends and build. Bigger ones. Don't build bigger houses by fancier cars stuff your closets with clothes you'll never wear. Eat or drink or taken to your body what your body does not need. And don't rent a storage unit. Off-site from your house for more. Instead. Choose the wisdom of the heart. To intentionally make room in your life. For larger and lovelier things. Voluntarily relinquish some of the stuff. Flutters your life. So you can easily morsi that everyday riches that are so gently and abundantly about your feet. Unclutter your hearts. Unclutter. Your closets. For only then. Shell you own. The stuff. Of heaven. And i say and mean. And i send you to your thanksgiving with this. Go in peace. Speak the truth. Give thanks each day. Respect the earth and her creatures for they are alive like you. Care for your body it is a wonderful gift. Live simply. Fiat service. Be guided by your faith not your fear. Go lightly on your path. Walk. In a sacred manner. God bless.

uufvb_org

2013Jan20Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. And welcome on this martin luther king sunday to the 1st. That was miss a first unitarian universalist church that's not right. The unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach. It's beautiful day on the treasure coast when everything is been washed fresh. But the rain. We are glad you've chosen to be with us this morning. Please know you're welcome. Just as you come to us. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight. Black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. Whether you are feeling on top of the world this morning. Or down in the dumps or somewhere in between we are delighted to see you. Just as you are and all of your particularity and charm. We hope you will find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. And then you will find something here. The nourishes your spirit. And feed your soul and gives you a nude energy and purpose. For the living of life in the days and weeks ahead. Martin luther king reminds us of the purpose of the church. We must keep the church going and keep it alive have certain basic guidelines to follow. To preach good news to the poor. To heal the brokenhearted. Set liberty to set at liberty them. Who are captives. You see the church is not a social club. The church is not an entertainment center. The church has a purpose. The church is dealing with altima. Concern. Sunday after sunday. Week after week people come to church. With broken hearts. They need a word of hope the church. Heels. Broke. Hearts. Circulate the role of the church is to free people. People who were slaves to prejudice. Slaves. To fear. The church is called to set free. Those who are captive. To set free those that are victims of slavery of segregation. Indiscriminate. And those caught up in the slavery. Fear. And prejudice. These are the guidelines. And if we will only follow the guidelines. We will be doing what the church is called to do we won't be a little social club. We won't be a little entertainment center. But will be about the serious business of bringing god's kingdom. To this earth. The following meditation is by. Reverend richard gilbert. One of our senior ministers. And one of our prolific. Writers. Following this spoken meditation we will have. Several moments of quiet silent meditation. Be silent. Be still. Be serene in this house of the spirit. Put aside all noises that annoy. All sounds that irritate. The cacophony that confirmed. Here you are at home. Leave behind all the frustrations that the little the causes the that fret. The troubles that torment. Here. You can be at rest. Put away all the plans to be made things to be done victories to be won. Here. You are at peace. Breathe deeply. Clear the mind of all cluttered thoughts. Purge the spirit of all unkindness. Rinse the soul clean and pure. Here you are at home. Should easy and be at rest. Feel your body recover its resilience. Your mind it's bearing. Your spirit its strength. Once again we have come home to the source. We feel the collective power of our companions. The warmth of their welcome. The support of their caring. We who have been wanderers groping for something we know not what. Are again at home. Here is the place for us. We are at home in this sanctuary. And with these people. We are at home on this globe. And with all who dwell upon it. We are at home in this cosmos. Are home for all times past. And all time. We are at home. Here. Well. This morning. I continue my sermon series. I know seven classic heavenly virtues and the seven. Deadly sins it's a seasonal sermon series which will end by may. These sins and virtues identify many centuries ago by the early christian church. And we're doing today the second installment on patience and anger. Now i spelled out both last week and my introduction to the series and in the flyer i b is flyer inserted in your service again this morning. You know. I think there's a creative. Spiritual emotional and moral tension. Between the virtues and the sins. Quite frequently in our living the sims aren't all that simple. And the virtues aren't all that virtuous. And in the lies we really leave the virtue in the sand canyon gets blended into a. Well in double psalm of what is it supposed to. Some stark contrast. The church fathers obviously wanted us to. Astrue the sims. Live completely virtuous lives but. I think in real life. The story is more blended. And these. These virtues and the sins are interwoven. And in a dynamic. Jeff amor. I'm hoping in the over the course of the series that will gain no more. Nuanced and realistic understanding of what it means to be human. So let's move to the second. A point here. The oppositional virtue and vice pair with the church fathers identified. Patience and angle but i first want to tackle the complexities. And the ambiguities of anger. What's the early church fathers label the deadly sin to be scrupulously avoided. Before i go to the virtue of patience. What the church fathers were warning us about obviously. Was not anger per say. But extreme anger or. Wrath what is called rat. Wrath is the sin. A1 commentator defiance rath this way. Extreme anger. Rage hatred or the need for vengeance. Or revenge. People who suffer with wrath wrath issues. Will often resort to taking the law into their own hands. If they feel the justice system has failed them. To see the need of wrath. They may even turned physical abuse of themselves or others murder. Or even. Genocide. And then this commentator ranzratte. Usually isn't need to do harm to others. Dante described wrath as. Love of justice perverted. To revenge. And spite. And dante in his metaphorical allegory the infernal that great book. In that ended in the inferno he dooms the wrathful. For the fifth circle of hell. Where the wrathful r4. For all eternity. The ruthlessly attack one another. That's his hell for the wrathful. Another author don schwager puts the pernicious power of wrath or uncontrolled anger a bit differently. Anger is evil. If it is allowed to get out of control or in control of us. The deadly vice of anger. Is an in moderate desire for revenge. Intemperate anger things like blind wrath bitterness of spirit. And revengeful resentment is simple. What leads to vengeful actions that are disproportionate. To the injuries suffered. Anger which breaks all bounds. Yams. And disrupts the order of reason. Is evil. And it is sin. No i hope and trust that it is self-evident to everyone here in this room right now. The pretty much all forms and expression of wrath which is again unchecked. Uncontrolled unjust and vengeful anger. They're all such expressions are dangerous. And harmful to us as persons both in our personal. And our public lives. Truly nolen. Will attempt to defend extreme irrational and unwarranted anger. Which leads almost always to unwarranted human harm. And i'm guessing that despite all of our efforts. Each of us to control our angry impulses. Most likely every last one of us in the wrote this room cannot recall at least a few times. In our lifetime. When we personally have been so angry. At someone or something. To be at the point ourselves. A dangerous or destructive. We all know that anger once it's given full blossom in our heart. Can be a very hard thing. To check. Or modulate or control so wrath. Is an interpersonal sin that must be avoided at all costs. But what about righteous. Or appropriate anger. What about the natural and understandable and hopefully controlled anger we feel. When someone or something seems to unjustly harm or disregard. Or diminishes as persons. It is appropriate again. Either in the private sphere of our life with family or friends or in the public sphere of our lives. With neighbors community of nations to feel and express anger. When we gone kindly and unjustly treated. During the civil rights movement. Did martin luther king help. There was a great deal of righteous anger. Appropriate anger on the part. Of minorities were being crushed. By the dominant white society. I do not believe for example it is evil or sinful. To feel anger in many. Like. Add a close family member or dear friend who breaks their vow or their promise to you. Or a neighbor say with a constantly barking dog or loud. Rock music. Blaring from their home late at night. Selfishly disregarding your needs and comfort. Or worse still when. Some. Stranger in a quiet town to a far-off in connecticut. Lashes out and kills 20. Children and their teachers. Absolutely no reason we feel anger. Enter outrage at the evil of this rat. Or. When a nation slaughters its own people. As is happening today sadly and syria. Or another nation practices genocide or aggression against the neighboring nation we naturally feel outraged and. In all these cases and so many more in the course of our human lies and interactions. We will indeed should have anger toward those. To whom we are persuaded are acting with selfishness unkindness disregard or just plain evil. Again author don swagger. Anger. In the good sense. Is a natural human reaction to obstacle. It is meant to mobilize us for accomplishing things that demand effort into equip us. To fight through obstacles. To what is right and good. Anger can lead to either good or evil. Anger. Is morally good or righteous. If it is directed against wrongdoing and is expressed under the control of reason and will. Anthony evans. Mike warren gregory the great. Reason opposes the evil more effectively. When anger ministers. At her side. Let me if i might give one example of a morally good. Righteously appropriate anger right now. As a citizen of this land i am outraged and angered by american gun manufacturer. And their lobbying wing the national rifle. Who is mama jordy of funding comes not from. Gun owners but from the manufacturers for pushing weapons on this country. Beyond all reason. I am angry. For their total resistance. Backed up by millions of dollars to any sensible gun control measures. In the face of all the recent assault weapons mass murders. The hell america's had to recently into our my anger. Over what i believe is a sheer insanity. And inhumanity of american gun policy. Has motivated me to speak up hopefully with many of you in the public arena. And bring an end to some of this madness. And demand much tighter gun-control. Specifically much more limited access. To assault weapons and their. Maximum cartridge. I have little or no patience. For the arguments of the nra and their benefactors the gun manufacturers. Make against any number of sensible moderate gun control proposals in fact. I believe they are totally morally bankrupt. Show my anger which i feel is both and i feel it is appropriate and measured and under the control of my reason i'm not going. To assault. The nra building. In virginia with an assault weapon. Can serve me dare i say. For the future well-being of all the people of our land. If i allow this anger to guide my actions and involvement in the. Crucial. Social policy issues inappropriate. Waze controlled by my reason. This anger. Is a. Sacred. A good. Sing. 4 speaks out against what i regard. Bead. Zacian. And wrongdoing. So. While unreasonable and unrestrained anger wrath. Clearly a destructive device. Weather in your private life or your public life. Appropriate modulated anger whether it's in our private life on our public life. Appropriate modulated anger when we've been unjustly wrong or abused and diminished can be and empowering virtue. The helps us both. And the world to find a way to that. Good. True and right. But. Shifting the discussion if i made to a more personal level for a moment. This positive and appropriate side of anger letting anger lead us to what is right and healthy. Unfair. Is one that i at least did not have regularly modeled for me. In the wisconsin home in which i grew up. These are my parents. Wendell on the left and marcia on the right this picture was taken. In 1963. When i was 14 years old now my mother. And don't forget she not only had to live with the testosterone quirkiness of my father. But the testosterone of for boys. My mother knew how to get angry and she knew how to express it. Now don't get me wrong she was by no means a wrathful or toxic parent. When she was irritated or disappointed or hurt by one or more of us. All the males in the household. New it. But my father on the other hand. The one who i guess modeled for me how to be a man. My father was totally and systematically anger averse. He did not like other people's anger. And even more powerfully he did not like his own. In the more than 35 years i lived and loved by father lived with him. Prematurely died at the age of just 68. In those 35 years i was with him i only saw him angry. Once. The incident seems laughably absurd now but at the time it made. Quite an impression on me because my father. Was an expert in keeping his anger. I think i was around twelve years old and my three brothers and i had set up our croquet set. For a game at our lake cottage on lake michigan we put it away my father came to look at it. My father was a duke trained engineer he noticed the two of those little wire hoops were missing. And when he asks about that we should all right we don't know where they are and. All of a sudden he picked up the whole set was this big brush pile near the place where we stored them he said you don't give a damn i don't either any through all the balls in the mallets and the wickers. When flying into this six-foot hole deep full of brush and brambles. And we just all looked at him what the hell is this. Well so i spent the next hour and a half digging through the brush pile pulling out all these pieces of the croquet sets finding the two missing. Poops. I've never seen anything like this wrath. My father. Over to croquet hoops. For god's sake. Most of the time the way my father my. Email emotional role-model express his anger. By what psychologists called being passive-aggressive. When he was mad at my mother or one of us boys he would launch into one of his famous 24-hour pouts. Which way would basically give us the silent treatment. Rather than honestly and forthrightly expressing and processing is anger with us. He just shut down and going to prolong pout. Tony alexander household when my dad shut down we often had what my other friend of mine who grew up in a similar midwestern household called. The quiet. That wasn't peace. The client. That wasn't peace. Did any you grow up in the household like that. One american psychologist says the main sound she associated with the british family was that of doors being banged inside. Where is the main sound she associated with the american family was that of cars being driven away. An observation would cause henry farley to write. The american family seem sometimes to try too hard. To bypass anger. And this may well be a reason why in the wider society. We're adults deal with adults there's occasionally such. Inexplicable. And destructive outbursts. Or eruptions. Avenger like those crazy outburst. Called road rage. Which are not so common here in my experience. Back in washington around the beltway. The child charlie goes on. The child needs to learn not only how to control its anger. But how to sometimes expresso. Anger needs a safety valve he right. Before it accumulates and it lasts breaks out and causes the devastation of which it is capable. Need i remind you about all these tragic. Shooting. Any schools. These kids killing each other. In almost every case. In almost every case. We find out. But the child has. Bottled up. Press the anger. In dante's allegory the inferno. Those who are angry who do not express it. Dante calls the sullen. Like my father. They are also in the fifth circle of hell with the wrathful. But unlike the wrathful who have to rip each other apart all the time. The sullen. I doomed for all eternity to stew together beneath the surface of. You had a lovely way. they do. In any case my father. Fiercely resisted talking about our processing his anger and resentment. Choosing for whatever psychological reasons to keep them. Doing and stirring quietly within eating away at his own well-being. Laid in my life after his two massive heart attack. Is 5 bypass. And some psychological therapy dad told us boys in a rare. Confessional moment. But he was convinced his heart attacks were in fact in large part due to his inability. The process is anger. At home. And that work. And regretted that he never learned how to forthrightly process express or process. These negative emotion. Before they took their toll on him he said it was poised i hope you. Process your anger better. That i could have felt like saying. Find tell me that it's one of 824 don't don't show me that at age 6 tell me that age 24. I must tell you that because of the emotional dynamics of my childhood home wonderful as they generally where my parents were grateful. I've spent a lifetime. Trying to work my way into right relationship with my own anger and resentment. Simply put i did not learn from my parents. Especially my father. How to work with anger in my life. Just this week i had somebody mad at me and i instantly. Didn't like it i'm angry reverse i'm angry averse to other people. Amanda reverse. To myon. Like most psychologists who have written on this issue. I'm persuaded that anger if not acknowledged process and handled an honest measured and loving ways. Can play a terribly destructive role in our lives and dust become. Not only physically and psychologically dangerous but spiritual. Hazardous well. If you don't get rid of your anger it fills up half. Your psychic space. Or three-quarters of your psychic space. Anger takes up room that could be used for love. Or for service or for other things anger. Robs you of essential. Psychic. Room you all know this is. And that's why i arrive at the most important thing i want to say about anger. Seems imperative. Then we think about our spiritual and emotional health. Human beings. We not regarding. Something sinful. To be avoided or denied or squelch. Fear. Yes. Ralph is no good. But anger. That we experienced in the normal course of life and relationships when we feel we've been hurt or disregarded or wrong. Is austin a good and natural thing and helps us to process the stuff with people. And get to a better place. So anger it seems to me. Can either be a virtue or a vice virtual it's process vice when it just becomes red. But let's look at the other side of the emotional equation patients. And forbearance. Which the early church fathers said was the heavenly virtue. That offset the stand of anger and wrath. Surely no one will disagree with don swagger when he speaks. Positively of the virtue of patience i quote him. The virtue of forbearance. Meekness patience. Moderate anger and its disorderly effects. It does this by controlling the passion of anger. And by not letting one's anger to be aroused over trivial things. It prevents a person from taking too much revenge. I know it's worth injured him. It restrains inordinate movements of resentment and another's character or behavior. It has nothing to do with rights with. Weakness. Or timidity. Enable ones enables one rather. To endure present evils without sadness or resentment. It helps us to handle difficulties. Without giving into sadness. Or reacting with a growing sense of rage. I agree with trigger that patients or forbearance. Is one vital and virtuous pathway that can enable us to. Control and master. Our anger and resentment but. Just like anger if taken too far. Patients also has the dangerous and unjust potential. To turn us into passive doormats for others to wipe their feet on. As they please. Over the course of my lifetime i have known some people who are so. Systematically accommodating and suites. And slow to take offense or get angry or stand up for themselves. That others who are inclined to such bad behavior. To learn they can do almost anything. To disregard or disrespect or take advantage of these individuals. And not paying interpersonal price. If you know someone is too patient. Someone will take advantage of. Patience and forbearance the generous quality of being long-suffering in the face. Of inappropriate or unkind behavior of others is no virtue. If it turns you into a doormat. Just like anger. Patience is taken too far. Becomes a sin. Does all this make sense to you. The early church fathers wanted us to believe that. Anger is always wrong and patience is always right. But that simply doesn't stand up. Tubi. As true and helpful in the real topsy-turvy lives we lead in this messy world. I am persuaded that to be ethically. And emotionally and spiritually successful in the real world. We need to know how to moderate. And balance are anger with patients. And how to moderate and balance our patients. With anger. In other words as we move through our days. Anger is not all bad. And patience is not. All good. We need to mix. And if we are to successfully tread. Our way through this crazy complex world we need to dance on that fulcrum. Between our anger and our patients. Keeping them both. In our life skill toolbox. Keeping both anger and patience in our life. Skil tool box. To be pulled out and use. Wisely. Inappropriately and yes. Strategically unjustly. Life as i know it anyway. Is awesome a delicate dance along this paradoxical fulcrum and so many others. You might want to eventually call me the paradoxical person. Because i see. So many things in life this way. The early church fathers who dualistic lisset the virtues against the vices. Wanted sure and simple answers as they confronted all the complexities. Of what it means to be human. But we will find ourselves alive. In the 21st century. Need a more nuanced. Approach. Demanding lives that. So. Have patience. Dear friends. It is a virtue. And sometimes. Be mad as hell. 42. Is a pathway to a full. And authentic. And responsible life. You need both. These emotional and spiritual qualities. In your life toolbox. The key. Trick. Is knowing precisely when and how. To employ them. And it is. Send you on your way. With these words of unitarian universalist poet. May sarton. Return to the most human. Nothing less will nourish the torn spirit. The bewildered heart the angry mind. And from the ultimate the rest pierced with the breath of anguish. Speak of love. Return. Return to the deep sources nothing less will teach. The stiff hands. New way to serve. To carve into our lives. The forms of tenderness. And strive that ancient. Necessary. Pain. Preserve. Return to the most human. Nothing less will teach the angry spirit. The bewildered heart. Torn mind to accept the whole of its duress. And pierced with anguish. At last. Act. More love. Go in peace.

uufvb_org

2015Jan25Sermon32.mp3

Morning. So that's good canadian are we welcome canadians and we welcome canadian air. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we are so pleased as crisp. Fresh day with us. We were congregation as you just saw.. Open minds loving hearts and helping hands people. Even us together zakura gation we work to make our world a better place. And please know that you are welcome just as you come to us this morning. Whether you're young or old gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What do you have a ged or a phd. Whether you're feeling absolutely on top of the world this morning. Or down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you just as you come to us and all of your particularity. We hope you will find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. You'll find something here this morning to take with you. Still make the days and the weeks ahead. Better and more joyful for you. My opening words are adapted from gene pearson words but i'm going to take a personal moment before that. And say that of course i chose this topic quite a while ago. At the time i did not realize that i would be going through a personal loss. And that is said a week ago. We had to make the very difficult decision to release. Our dog of 15 years and he was really my. He was i was his person and. He was my boy. And traveled all over with me from the time he was eight weeks old. So. I know that there are many people out there i'm sure. Who had to do. Make the decision that we did. And we'll feel. The loss of a beloved pet. Summer opening words. How have we forgotten those days inn. The peaceful kinship of that ancient land. How is it that in these long centuries since. We have had to deny our animal relations. Saying they had no souls. No reason. Speed. And claiming ourselves and so very different. We made a chain of things to protectis. Fire. Medicine. Are locking houses. Clothing. And we renamed the animal gifts. Farm products. Fur crop. Renewable resource. As we prepare to let our challenge this morning and focus our spirits on worship. That we. Will again see animal faces in the mirror of creation. The miracle of animals. Their lives. As precious. And it's our own. My first meeting is from sarah grounds book. Water for elephants. Jacob animals. Goes in one day soon after his arrival to feed the animals the following takes place in the book. I open the orangutans door instead of han of fruits vegetables and nuts on the floor. As i close it. Her long arm reaches through the bars. She points at an orange in another pan. That. You want that. She continues to point. Blinking at me with closed eyes. Her features are concave her face a wide platter friends with red hair. She's the most outrageous and beautiful thing i've ever seen. You can have it. She takes it and sets it on the floor. Then she reaches out again. After several seconds of serious misgivings i hold out my hand. She wraps her long fingers around it. Then let's go. She sits on her haunches and peels her orange. I stare in amazement. She was thanking me. The second reading is from mary oliver her phone straight talk from france. Listen to music to run over the hills to lick do from the leaves to noah's along the edges. Far out safe and the rest of sleep. It's like music. Visit the orchard. Define devolve. Is fast beating heart. Death itself. Is the music. Nobody ever. Close to writing it down awake. Or in a dream. It cannot be told. It's flashing changing shape. And with good cause. Mercy is a little child beside such an invention. It is music to wander the black back roads outside of town no one awake or wondering if anything miraculous is ever going to happen. Totally dumped that every moment america. Don't think windows. I see you in all your seasons making love arguing talking about god as if you were an idea. Instead of the grass. Instead of the stars the rabbit caught in one good at home to the den. What i am. And i know it. Is responsible. Joyful. Thankful. My life. For yours. For 1,000. 4000. From the words of hermann hesse. Sometimes when a bird cries out or the wind sweeps. A dog howls in a far-off farm. I hold still. And listen. For a long time. My soul turns. And goes back to the place where 1,000 forgotten years ago the bird and the blowing wind. Me. And where my brothers. My soul turns into a tree and an animal and a cloudbank. Then changed. God it comes home and asks me questions. What should i reply. What should i reply. But how can. Replied. This experience is pretty language. It's deeper. The language. What are you saying is that we are not separate from any being or. Zen master dogen says you shouldn't treat trees and rocks to preach the dharma. But of course. It's pretty difficult. It's pretty difficult for them to teach us if. We. Are busily destroying them. Cutting them down. Moving them out of the way. And you should ask rice fields. And gardens. For the truth. A joke. Perhaps you know that the un proclaimed 2009 the year of the gorilla. The un among many other organizations has raised money for these magnificent creatures. 4 threatened with extinction from disease hunting. Indeed poaching. And loss of habitat forestation. Waylaid the movie king kong long after it been in the theaters. I wanted to see but my nancy was a little resistant like me she'd seen some earlier version and didn't feel she could handle seeing this sad story again. Eventually i guess i wore her down. I didn't care that i wanted to see it so many times that finally won one day a few months ago we agreed together to rent it. Course i told her that she didn't have to watch it with me. But you did. Ride. Imagine many if not most of you have seen one version or another. And if you haven't seen the movie. I assume that you know the basic story. A filmmaker decides to sail a ship to the mysterious skull island. To shoot a movie. Taking along a couple of actors one of homosassa. Down-on-her-luck aspiring actress named and darrow. When i get to the island they discover that it is inhabited by giant dinosaur like creatures. One of them a 30 ft tall gorilla. Is worshipped by the local natives. The native people of duct young and to offer as a sacrifice to con. But at least. In the version that i saw. Senses something in kong. Perhaps the sadness. Attempts to amuse him with her juggling and other antics. Emcon. Treated kindly for perhaps the first time in his life. Falls in love with the woman and protects her from the dangers on the island. What are shipmates finally rescue her they drug kong take him back for an exhibition in new york. Ultimately, breaks free recaptures and an in confusion and desperation climbs on the top of the empire state building with her. With an waving her arms wildly and screaming. Plains circle. Fire on kang and finally kill him. If you seen it. Did you cry. We cried. I think. If your heart isn't all open table not to cry. It is a tragic tale. It doesn't matter. But there's no real gorilla that. It's a story that's trying to tell us something. Something about ourselves. For me. One of the unforgettable moments in the latest version. Was when the young woman looked at con. Touched her own heart. And said looking deep into kong's eyes. Beautiful. Yes. Beautiful. Because he was. Big. And beautiful. Compassionate. And he had touched that passionate wildness. And her. Sometimes when a bird cries out the wind sweeps through a tree or a dog. House in a far-off form i hold still. And listen. For a long time. My soul turns. And goes back to the place where 1,000 forgotten years ago. The bird in the blowing wind. More like me. And where my brothers. I'm a great fan of the brilliant ken wilber. And i was recently listening to a conversation about evolution between ken wilber and brother wayne teasdale. And she still made a fascinating observation. When we talk about evolution. We talked about a gradual progression of awareness. And postulate that humans clearly descended. From 8. But noodles work demonstrating that apes have culture. And mentioned the researcher in africa who noticing how intelligent chimps are. Adopted one and actually name the champion taught it human behavior. He suggested. But it may not be. That we descended from apes. But rather than apes decided not to go our route. Think about this at some point 1/8 may have decided. He didn't want to get into all our human stuff. Urbanization technology and give. The wildness of life. Close to nature. Teaser. I actually never considered that possibility. As mary oliver had brother fox say i would not give my life for 1000 of yours. Just over 20 years ago a book was published by two philosophers titled. The great ape project. Arguing that gorillas chimpanzee bonobos. Ever since then there has been quiet movement to get the un and government to grant legal rights to these primate cousins of ours. I'm sure you're aware that. Apes are up to 98.7% of their dna with us. In 1999. Granted personhood rights to the great apes. Spain did the same thing in 2008. The spanish parliament revolution at the time granting the rights of life liberty and prohibition from being tortured. Placed great apes under the quote. Moral guardianship. State. And just last month a court in argentina. Recognize sandra twenty-nine-year-old orangutan. As a non-human person. And ordered her freed from the zoo and transferred to a sanctuary. Saying that she had been unlawfully deprived of freedom. Ultimately i see king kong makes me cry is that there is such a need for us for human beings. Gorilla. At our relationships. With creatures. They claimed naturalist aldo leopold with a printer. Marmora. Regular kind of guy. But then one day he had an experience. P shot. A wolf. Here is the passage from his classic book sand county almanac. A deep chest echoes from rimrock to rimrock rolls down the mountain and faith into far blackness of the night. It is an outburst of wild defiance sorrow and of contempt for all the adversities of the world. Every living thing and perhaps many a dead one is well-paid that call. To the deer. It is a reminder of the way of all flesh. To the pine a forecast of midnight scuffles and of blood upon the snow. Do the coyote promise of gleaning. To the common thread of red ink at the bank to the hunter a challenge of playing against bullet. Yep behind obvious and immediate hopes and fears there lies a deeper meaning. Known only to the mountain itself. Only the mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of a wolf. Those unable to decipher the hidden meaning no nevertheless. Fortis felt in all wolf country and distinguishes the country from all other land it tingles in the spin of all. wolves at night or who scan their tracks friday. Even without sight or sound of wolf it is implicit. 100 small events. He goes on. My own conviction on this tour dates from the day i saw a wolf guy. We were eating lunch on a high rimrock at the foot of which a turbulent river elbowed its way we saw what we thought was a dill fording the torrent. Her breast wash in whitewater. When she climbed the bank towards and check out her tail realized our error it was a wolf. Half donut dozen others evidently grown pups sprang from the willows and all joined in a welcome belay of wagging tails and playful moldings. Literally a pile of wolves rise and tumbled in the center of an open flat at the foot of our rimrock. Now in those days we had never heard. A passing up a chance to kill a wolf. Second. More excitement than acuras. How to aim a steep downhill shot is always confusing. When are rifles were empty. The old. The old wolf was down. Was dragging a leg. Into impassable slide rock. We reached the old wolf in time to watch a fierce green fire. Dying in her eyes. I realized then and have known ever since. Something new to me in those eyes. Something known only to her and to the mountain. I was young then and full of trigger itch. I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer. But no wolves would mean hunter's paradise. But after seeing the green fire die. I sent. But neither wolf nor the mountain agreed with such review. As he wrote we reached the old wolf in time. To watch a fierce green fire. Dying in her eyes. Actress or something passionate. Beautiful. In the eyes of cong so leopold. See something in the eyes of the wolf. Mary oliver puts it this way in her poem meeting wolf. There are no words. Inside his mouth inside his golden eyes. We stand silent both of us tents under the speechless but faithful trees. And this is what i think. I have given him intrusion. He has given me. A glimpse into a better. But now broken world. Not his doing. But hours. Animal allies language that most of us cannot understand. Does preverbal and primal. And mysterious. We may not be able to understand it. But we can feel it. I'm certain that like me language. And moments when you have held the gaze of your domesticated cat. For your dog. Or when you have locked eyes ever so briefly. With some animal in the wild. Once out of the retreat center i have frequent it in orlando i was out walking. And out of the corner of my eye so but look like a really large cat race fry. I thought actually might be some kind of bobcat big bushy tail. Definitely larger than a domestic cat. I barely caught side of it. Sat down for a little while. A little later. I heard leaves rustling and found myself face-to-face with a fox. Meeting. The fox then turned and ran away. With a feeling of having somehow. Been blessed by the encounter. You may know that the word animal comes from the latin word anima. That actually means so. Knowing our own soul. We discover a bit of that wildness within. An organic wildness as well as a spiritual one. Our brain itself as you know is actually. Three brains circles and circles showing the course of evolution. Human. The ancient innermost. Contains ancient species lures and functions instinctively. And non-verbally. It's the part of us that we share with bobcat. Bears and foxes. Has to do with activities like hoarding. Hunting. Bonding. Nesting. Defending territory. And playing. And. Don't ask me to believe you don't do all those things. Surrounding the reptilian brain. Is the paleomammalian and then the neil mammalian or neocortex. Only the outer layer as far as we know that. Thinking and consciousness. Korean. Somewhere in our ancestral bones lies the memory of sitting around a fire in the darkness. Listening to stories being told. While the cries of animals around us on all sides. As many of the oldest tales begin. Long ago. Back when animals could talk. And people. Could understand them. We reached the old wolf in time. To watch. A fierce green fire. Dying in her eyes. Fierce green fire is being in english tin so many corners of our planet. Among all sentient beings really. And that extinguishing is a great threat to us. Because the great green fire. Exist within every life. In every human heart. It's not a fire that destroyed. It's a fire that's wild. That's new and green and full of life. It's an aspect of our nature. That is completely. Orderly untamed. Now here we are. Moving through the second decade of the new millennium and what is happening. I look around. And see the fierce green fire. Being extinguished. Everywhere. In afghanistan. In haiti in sierra leone in new orleans in ferguson. In the increasing political and racial divisions in our country. In the sweatshops in the prostitution rings and the recruiting of child soldiers. In the faces of families torn apart by our immigration policies. In the beached whales and the dying coral reefs. And the pouch. Ivory. In the tapestry of isis. In the plunder of the rainforest. In the street children of manila. Asha. There are an estimated 20.. Living in the streets victims of destruction wrought by years of war. We can literally see the fierce green fire that's going on in their eyes. And the eyes of too many. Of the world's children. The wolf is he wasn't kind of pathfinder. Not the common trail that's easily marked the invisible path. To the soul. The dying green fire in the wolf ignited. The green fire. In aldo leopold. Who became. As i trust you know one of the 20th century's greatest naturalist. I think most of us at some time or another. And daryl felted incon. Something out of her. Is it a flicker. Or swing in you. Is it a memory. Our ever-present. And if you don't feel it like you once did. What would it take. Greenfire. Again in you. In us. How can we preserve. And nurture. That green fire. And what would happen. What would happen. If the green fire really heated up our passion for our faith. What could we do. What would we be doing if the greenfire were ablaze in our witness to our faith tradition. If i thoughts about and dreams for our faith were wild. And free. I recently heard of a six-word mission statement for a uu church. Becoming the people the world needs. I don't know about you but that's your touches the green fire in me. Admission becoming the people the world needs. I'll close with a very brief story that appears in paulo's book the impossible will take a little longer. Telling the story is a young woman suffering with an unpredictable and debilitating illness. Some days for her we're great. She could barely move. Add a conference attended she was frustrated by people saying that one person can't really make a difference. I commute to campus by foot along the railroad tracks she said. In the spring. I come across turtles who have gotten stuck. The track is littered. With the halloween shells of turtles that couldn't escape the rails. So i bend over. And i pick up the still-living trap turtles. But i do find. I carry them to a wooded area. And let them go. For those hurdles. The power that i have. Is enough. Going to ask you to or invite you to do this responsively and. The words that you'll be saying we join with the earth. And with each other and i'll kind of q u so let's begin with we join with the earth. And with each other. To bring new life. To restore the waters. Refresh. We join with the earth and with each other for the player. To protect the creatures. We join with the earth and with each other. To rejoice in the sunlight. Who sings the song with the stars. We join with the earth and with each other recreate the human community. To promote justice. To remember our children. We join with the earth. And with each other. We joined together as many and diverse expressions of one lover mystery. For the healing of the earth. And the renewal. Of all life. And now before we extinguish the chalice we invite you to after that going piece. Making peace. Love mightily. Liz kindly. View the world through the eyes of compassion and with a global heart. And always always bow. To the mystery.

uufvb_org

2013Apr28Sermon32.mp3

You're welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of hero beach icr ranks. We were seeking to become our best individual cells even if we were together to make a better world. And please know that you are welcome this morning. Whether you were younger will roll straight black or white or some other wonderful morning. Or down in the dumps or somewhere in between we are delighted to see you just as you come to us this morning. We hope you will find a service this morning meaningful and enriching. We'll find something here this morning. The nurse is your spirit and feed your soul and give me renewed energy and joy. For the living room. And it also is my pleasure this morning he's sharing the service with the reverend crystal brazil wonderful member of our congregation and a true leader in our community and we are pleased to hear her provocative title about writing your own. Bible today. Dim screen. The faces of god. And the screen will show you. It's in everyone of us. To be wise. You may see your face or someone you know. But it's all the reminder of clay aiken song. It's in everyone of us. Find your heart. Open the garage. We can all know everything. Without ever knowing why. Because. It's in everyone of us. Tu bewafa. Every single one of us and you and me and everyone. Comes in the pack. All we have to do is find our hearts. Open up. Do realize that we can all know. Everything. Without ever. Blowing rock. Everyone of us. And it shows in everything we do. Comes forth and everything we say. And everything we write in the twinkle of the eye. That is in everyone of us. Good morning again. And you know i'm going. And i always. But i say hello my african sisters. Now i just want to see the 10. How many did not say hello back. Okay. And in the first line play was once upon a time. When were all africans. Some guys and some college said that. Geologist said that was the first. Land came up and so is that what started. So i'll try this again. Have a belly button. If you have one of those for my half-sister. The one more time outside. Old testament. A new testament. Have something in common testament. Testament. I didn't write it but you can go online and find out what you just read the bible and find out for a lot of ways that you can. And so right from the get-go. From the beginning of my life. That the bible. Ask my mother. When is god. Because god always had a begotten son and i knew that. Write the bible and make it send. So i kept getting a place where. Children israel. 911 me. I think my grandfather was part of. Overhead back in new orleans. So the fact that the jewish jewish people were his children. Makes me feel like i was included. Senegal cars kiss showing. Dark people as being the bed. All the dark people where the bad people. Survival. Turn it upside down. Bible. Flusha color my hair. 276 so this started 406 i don't know how old i was when i started reading. For her. Mispronounced word. Olive oil on my tongue not said it was. Handle the word lucas better. But i couldn't see it and figure out what's worth. She's not here so she can put the olive oil on my timer. Got the idea to fight time. Dead words correctly. Older. And i just forgot about. What was wrong with the bible in my ipad. Somewhere along the way. I was sitting religious science. What is a licensed practitioner. Religious science. Designed. Based on ernest holmes check with the size of mine. It's in the family of unity and divine sign. Things like that. Unitarianism actually. Because emerson is one of their. 30 choose one of their. Thomas jordan people like that. Religious science. I learned a couple of things that. Back in touch with. My old watson feelings about the bible. Ernest holmes dead jesus. Ensure. Can you show me the way. Accessorize with me. Training i came up with the idea that jesus did. Survival again. Jesus said. I am or i did ride you revive a bible. Crystal is crystal. No one comes unto the father. Jesus. It was me saying no one comes unto the father but. I know what it meant but it just sounds good. Another thing i learned. They said their prayers they would praise mother. It was still here but it was kind of her but it awakening me to what i needed. A little more for her in my life. I need it a little more in my life. One of his gensco children. It was something i wanted someone else to do and something i needed to have done. And that's what i did. I started writing my own bible. My question is. Inspired by god. South central la. The ultimate fright. Kind of hebrew. Bible. That's what you want to hear not so much. Nevermind. I knew richard headphones them so beautifully and and put them in everyone. Florida today. I've got these new shoes on i'm speaking. A-to-z amazon. Standstill. Maybach. No i'm not saying that. Maybe. Tips for making help you get startup. And the beauty of it is. It opened the doors to myself that i wasn't aware huh. There is a power that comes with the idea. Of writing bible. Powerful. And as worthy as anyone who ever lived. I'm as wise as anyone who ever lived. And i'm not going to include the things that i don't want you now here's the trick. Today i'm 50 baby. Other version bible said already system. It just asked another one to the list. The old testament. Genesis. In the beginning. God is my mother. That's where all my life team from. That's who i used to be.. She could hear everything that i needed. That's the way i started. And then i just started writing about her. Who she was. Where is superman from. Information about her. Cuz in my mind. Generations after i dye my family will still have access to my bible so my kids will know. My grandmother was. So all of those things are in my. So when i moved to south central avenue. Where bratz movie 2 and when i lose yourself symphony to cross the street. A paragraph about that. Why did i. Who did i move with. Well the truth is he i was living with my mom and daddy. And my daddy wanted a husband out of his house so she went across the street to the landlord and. And one of them is empty. He said. You are going to lose next week and just ride over there that was my exodus. Lord have mercy. Read or study. If you haven't. There are some parts of it. Does not all of it that you may not want to put in your own bible. So i didn't put any of that. But when i did ask for the video. Where those things that are my flaws. Things that i believe in the beast. Laws. For example. The name of god that's given in the christian bible is i am that i am. And then i added. Everything that i say i am. So that's my law. Another thing i fire this morning. He likes to tell me i was very pretty and they like this color on me. Well one of my laws is. Xolo. Cute my beautiful know whatever you think. Well this is one of my lord. It takes one. Learn all the tricks of the trade. Moses said. Information. Started a new project or joined the board for an old project. What you want to do. Board meeting. Or you have to teach people. Johnny table. Across the river. 400 years. The carvings on the wall. Because. Good stuff about yourself. Wild. 1st and kedzie. Compasses all about. P1457. All you did was make laws. 7506. Are you getting the idea of i was writing. And i'm rooting something. The world to me. Nn song my own songs and shows songs from youtube. I thought almighty mail letters. Open right now in my inbox. How to write your own bible. One thing that opened up to me and i have no idea. It was going to happen like this. Carnival cruise studying antiquarian spiritual center in study. Wholesale open on pulaski by mark desmond. Anderson. And in this group we each had to go to be had to go to each of these seven virtues. Vine with one where we were stuck. Temperature so fast. And the teacher said what about number. Intelligent. 30 number for. Freedom from resentment. Thunder. Freedom from resentment while under repression. He wants me to take a look at it i wrote all seven of them in my bible for the circle around 3. Afraid. Anthony. 13. Learning about enough that you can just take that on. I moved to florida. I need the indian river county. The most racist county. The most racist county in. California. Colors. I never went to the segregated. And we never had any. In florida. Take me to mississippi and new orleans from my family came from. Here. And this is. I just didn't know it. Really had to put this in my bible. Freedom from you and every step of the way things that i was doing. To clear this up in my life. Jumped on me. And i kicked it out. In religious science. And i didn't know. But i wanted to tell you what i did i didn't know. If i decide not to put in there but i did and i'm still writing this chapter. Because. Around the corner 43rd avenue and 4th street. When do. And i was going to mississippi. This roxanne. Call joyce's sorrows what you would stand up and talk. Whatever your stomach to remember. The first time i scroll. My car has broken down and liz mayo. Directv payments. Rodger. Make sure i would never have to worry about. Thanksgiving came out was hungry. Happen to be out here by myself. Tuesday new braunfels. And the list goes on and on about. What happened with the people in this church. In florida. The most wonderful. People. Pictures of brownie has seven chapters. Parent portal. Worth and dignity of every person in my heart. I haven't either but i don't have it i have that's in my mouth. But when i get to write about that is. That i keep finding that here in this church. How do i find this church. And here i am. Did you choose to write your own bible. Writing your butt. Those things that you choose to write are going to manifest in your life. Funny things about yourself feel manifest in your life. Divide about these boys.. Money back guarantee. If you do the writing your own bottle. Ride forever and ever. No problem. The whole idea. You can do what you want to do. But if you don't like what's in the other bibles. Have a choice. Radar morning. You might think. You taking time. To write. It's not necessary for you. Probably wouldn't be read by anyone. And not appreciated by anyone except you. Houston. Generations do now. My children would only have the christian bible to read. All i left today. All have my bible to read as well. Time for new religion. Earlier of your own voice. You have nieces and nephews. Nephews. 17. Even if you don't want to call it your phone father. But i guarantee. The top of your writing. You have a new date. Just come back to me i'll see that you get all your money back whatever. Blessings to you blessings.. Play cynthia schloss blessings to your life. You have made this world already.

uufvb_org

2013May26Sermon128.mp3

Good morning and welcome to the interior universalist fellowship of vero beach on this memorial day weekend and we celebrate our freedom as a people and our responsibilities to one another. We are very glad you've chosen to spend a part of his stay with us. We are the conjugation of open minds. Loving hearts and helping hand. People seeking to become our best selves even if we work together. To make a better world. Please know that you're welcome this morning just as you probably was. Gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What are you were feeling on top of the world this morning or down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We're delighted to see you this morning just as you've come to us in all of your particularity in need. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. And you'll find something here this morning but nourishes your. Spirit feeds your soul and gives you renewed energy and. Enjoyment for the living of life in the days and weeks ahead. Good morning america. Sun is slowly spreading its welcome over this vast and beautiful and strong nation. The blue-green waters here on the treasure coast already sparkle in the mornings and price. The vast prairie. Play the gentle touch of spring light. And the mountains and deserts of the west will soon receive their baptism of promise and. And all across our nation. People of america are stirring. Delight. Purpose. Cooking pancakes with their children. Wiley gargling into bed with coffee in the sunday papers that facility. Jogging the beach. Getting ready for soccer. Chores. Good morning america. We were great and bass nation. Atlanta was so much beauty and promise as well as trim lunches and pain. As we learned this week in oklahoma. As we begin our day. May our hearts forever the noble ideals. Destination. Please try this day to open our hearts. And to one another. And by the work of our hands and hearts. America. Into the nation of our dreams. Good morning america good morning. This morning only be telling you the story of the flaming chalice of our faith and when i went looking for a reading on that i'm big big thick file on unitarian-universalism the best reading a can of drugs or something i wrote. Unitarian universalism is a way of life. It is not a spectator sport. Laura religion that can somehow be done from the sidelines of life. Nor is unitarian universalism an intellectual exercise. It is not a set of beliefs that one can simply espouse with one lives. The faith in life and humanity that must be lived. Everyday right here and right now. However and wherever we find ourselves in a little ways that make such a big difference in this world of ours. Unitarian universalism. Must be practiced. Day in and day out with all the intentionality. Compassion purpose enjoyed we can muster. Identitarian universalism is anything but a casual. Or the easy religion. 4 calls upon us to use our individual freedom. And devote a lifetime to becoming the best person. We can become. Relating to life with as much wholeness health and hard as we can lending ourselves. To the saving of our world. This is a faith that continually calls us to decency and compassion and love. It was 20th century uu minister hearing reserve who wants ft the following provocative sermon title on his church sign board in st paul minnesota. Unitarian universalist for against the law. Would there be enough evidence to convict you similarly nearly two centuries ago the famous unitarian minister william ellery channing proclaimed the same thing about our liberal faith when he said be careful how you live. It is the only sermon you will ever preach. Ours is not a sunday only religion. Ours is a religion of deeds not free. Step requires you to bring your fullest and sinus self and your religious principles to your daily living. Twenty-four hours a day. Seven-days-a-week. 365 days a year. Unitarian universalism. Is a whale. Herbalife. Arelys the morning reading. Let me tell you in a maze in story. It was early in the evening of march 15th 1939. The very day the german army and marched into that city to complete its annexation of czechoslovakia in those dark days in the beginning of world war ii. What's the name of working on behalf of the humanitarian unitarian service committed. The dark knight. She was at the secret mission in prague. To guide an anti-nazi leader to asylum safety at the british embassy. Her account written report of her activities to the unitarian leaders in boston about what happened that night reads like something out of a spy novel movie script. And hardly seen like something a mild-mannered massachusetts minister's wife. Might find yourself in the middle of here is her report. I found the taxi in the early darkness. Noting that the driver had a companion in the front seat gave an address which was near but not the actual one which one's my destination. The extra cargo in the front seat trying to engage me in conversation. But i carried his questions. Arriving at the place i hastily paid the driver and walked around the corner quickly. Hiding in the first doorway to watch and see whether i would be in follow. The companion came roll the same corner looked up the street down and allie are two of them walk along the street. The driver suddenly hot. My heart rate as i realized that my follower was christophe amazing. I flattened myself against the entrance of the door still where i was. And in the darkness he walked right by where i was hiding. And then headed back to the cab. Later that night. Martha sharp at great risk to her personal safety succeeded in ushering the check he wrote to safety. As did her husband that night elsewhere in the city. With another andy not a l. Over the course of world war ii. The act of bravery skill and daring of this husband-and-wife team and other workers for the unitarian service committee which is today the unitarian universalist. Enable thousands of adults and children to escape nazi persecution and murder including many hundreds of jews. Isn't in fact that your 2016 96 fascinating. The names of weight still sharp and martha sharp or engraved into the wall at the garden of the righteous among nations. At yad vashem in israel only one other american. Husband simile on. By the jewish people. For rescuing jews from the holocaust. Most of the righteous were righteous gentile to germany and france and spain on the places only three america. This morning i want to tell the story of the flaming chalice of our fade. Which b sermonia fleahlight every sunday morning as we gather here together. That's some of you may not be aware. Flaming chalice here is the official. Chalice logo from the website of our denomination that's the official one that boston uses. It is the official symbol of our faith. The flaming chalice is the one unifying symbol of ritual modern-day unitarian universalism. This morning and every unitarian universalist congregation scattered around the world. And then more than 1050 conjugation tear the united states in challis. Justice region will be sermonia sweetlip just usually as worship begins. No just the word if i might about this particular chalice that we like here every sunday. This beautiful handcrafted chalices he could all see a pretty well. Is made of pure sterling silver and what's the gift of early uuff dbmm murderous flow. It was handcrafted informal historian of our communication ellen lagerkommandant tells me what i said. It came was made by silversmith from the florida keys. According to doris sloan specification. That is if you can see a lovely piece of art. So because this is a one-of-a-kind chalice. No other unitarian universalist congregation of the world has one like this one. Are made of wood. Ceramic and pottery others from various metal and they're fueled by different by different combustible some music candle some used. Lamp oil is what we use. But they all life itself. Has any of you who visit other uu congregation when you travel do full well. The content of sunday morning worship services in our denomination. Can vary widely from church to church resemble at king's chapel in boston which is very episcopalian they say the lord's prayer every sunday. That is a very very different experience than what we do here. But the flaming chalice. Is the universal and widely beloved symbol of our religion and everything we stand for. And that's super was born. In the dark days of world war ii. When martha and wasteful sharp and other brave unitarians were working the same so many. Slave labor and death and more on that story in just a moment. It is also important practice of you use lighting a chalice. Is relatively new. Well i answered the ministry in january of 1974. The flaming chalice was basically unheard of in our congregation. In fact the first time the civil was used by the denomination as a symbol of our faith as far as i know. Was on the cover the 1978 77 denominational directory. But by the mid-1980s about the time we were founded. Lighting the chalice on sunday had quickly become. A widespread and beloved practice in our congregation. Insensitive the flaming chalice has become the official logo and symbol. For unitarian-universalism around the world. Today the flaming chalice is central to our identity. As you using will probably remain so for centuries to come. I need to go back to world war ii. Story of how the flaming chalice came to represent and stand for our faith. The chalice. Are two asian archetypal religious images that can be found in ancient mythology as well as in many of the world's great tradition. And these two ideas the flame and the towels were brought together. As a unitarian symbol. Find austrian artist by the name of hans. That was in 1940 when i went online and i felt this was the only picture on the world wide web. Do my colleagues dan hotchkiss. Tell the fascinating story in a pound of call the fleming chelsea from him. Living in paris during the 1930s. An austrian refugee group critical cartoons of hitler. When the nazis invaded paris in 1940 he abandoned all he had of course that's led to the south of france that just fade it's finally with an altered passport to safety in neutral portugal. There he met the reverend charles joy. Executive director of the unitarian service committee at my predecessor at the church of larger fellowship when i was in boston as a nomination headquarters he was one of my predecessors. The service committee was new. Founded in boston. To assist eastern europeans escaping the nuts among them unitarian. As well as jews needed to escape. Elizabeth headquarters. Charles joy oversaw a secret network of couriers and agents who among other things. Created fake traveling papers and replaced the papers for endangered people. Trying to play europe. The joint was most impressed as soon he was working with the service committee. He later wrote reverend roy this. There is something that urges me to tell you how much i admire your other self-denial and readiness to serve. To sacrifice all your tie or hell. Your well-being to help help help. And then toys. I am not what you might actually call a religious believer. But if your kind of life is the profession of your unitarian say. Demolition ceasing to be magic and mysticism. Become as concession to practical philosophy and what's more active and ready useful social work. And this is a religion.. To which i can say or wholehearted yes so even though he wasn't religious he was deeply moved by what the unitarians were doing from lisbon. Go back to the story. And reverend joy realized he needed a recognizable and dignified simple. In the cloak-and-dagger world of border guards and false identity papers and clandestine escape. So joy ask joyce to create a symbol. For the uusc travel papers of replacement documents maybe they put them on fancy parchment and seals and hot wax and all kinds of other nonsense. Choice for a civil so that they could issue these two artists and intellectuals and dissidents and choose who are trying to escape that to you. And then. Official reports to them in the same time to symbolize the spirit of our work. When a document may keep a man out of jail give him standing with governments and believes it is important than it look important and so with the pan and hang joints drew simple chalice and the plane. And then river enjoy writing to the board of trustees of our denomination in boston said this about the new symbol. A chalice with a flame. I kind of tell us with the greeks and romans put on their altars. 8 ft and the holy oil burning in it a symbol of helpfulness. And sacrifice. This is on the line of the artist. His letter to the board of directors. The fact however that is remotely suggest a cross. Was not on his way but to me that's also has married. We do not live in our work christians. Indeed at the present moment our work is 9/10 for the jews. Gusto from the christian tradition. And the cross symbolize christianity. Edit the central theme of sacrificial love. Chalice of our faith was born as a practical yet striking symbol of our unitarian. Humanitarian efforts in wwii. And the amazing part of it is one of the nomination destroying observe. Is it wednesday design the flaming chalice. Kid never seen a unitarian or universalist church is never heard a unitarian sermon. But what he had said was our faith in action. People who were willing to risk it all for the sake of others in a desperate time. As dan hotchkiss writes about this legacy in his pamphlet on the flaming chalice. Today the flaming chalice is the official symbol of both of you ushe the service committee. Early unitarian universalist association our denomination. Officially or unofficially it's functions as logo for more than 1,000 congregation. And perhaps more importantly it has become the focal point. For our worship. And then hotchkiss makes an important observation. No one meaning or interpretation of the chalice is official. The cleaning channels like our free fading stand open to receive new truths that passed the test of reason justice and compassion it unites us and worship and symbolizes the spirit of our work in the world. No. So now that you know the history. And the story of the flaming chalice of our faith. And then hospice rightly observes there is no one meaning. The simple yet i think inspiring symbol of our faith sometimes gation say each sunday that the flame in there chalice is the flame of community. Remaining all of them that they belong to one another. Other congregations nixon as the flame of truth. That isn't a living illuminating thing that guides us all to greater understanding. Other congregation. Play mumford with the flame represent the love justice and compassion we seek to live out as unitarian universalist. The flaming chalice dungeon is open dynamic and inclusive symbol that can represent any number of the aspects of our faming. Different things to different people it's a different kind of gation cinebox and say here's the only thing. But to me especially given the moving history of an origin. Is nazism in so much debt. To me the flaming chalice is a secret study bible that our faith is a faith of action. A fatalities. More than another organ attarian saying the nineteenth-century salvation by character. Don't don't tell me what you believe. Show me how you live. Ours is a baby as a bill schultz are famous minister right cars the baby of dirty hands. The flame has time to help rescue jews and others during world war 2 reminds us. That is you use we cannot be casual bystanders bystanders in the troubled world we in heaven. Arkell's reminds us that our religion is not as a friend and what i read you earlier it's not an armchair exercise. It's not a little left electric. Finding yourself and intellectual agreement with our 7 principles that we print on your own as a service. To be a real unitarian universalist. The bau you in more than name only. He was also personally come in. To embody and serve the principles and ideals that anime. history and animate on faith in body and serve these principles in your own life. Exactly in your individual life exactly where you bump up against creation. And of equal importance. Embody and serve them not just by yourself but with others not just in splendid isolation but with others as you serve various aspects of our community life and in this congregation as you work with others to serve the creator. The blending challenge of our faith reminds me that whenever we gather here on sunday we must regularly at all week long on the half of love and justice and compassion and to serve our common humanity and get directly involved in making this world a better and more humane ways for everyone. It's sunday the flaming chalice beckons us. Soul satisfying work of arcade. Let me bring all this phone to vero beach if i might. After several months of reflecting about who and what we are at the particular congregation as one of the 1050 in the united states and canada. And what we must always be about your board of trustees just last week. Unanimously adopted the following statement about uufp people to remind ourselves who we are the current location and how we present ourselves. To the wider community this is tiffany's real how we want a brand ourselves to use business language here in vero beach are you ready for the simple statement that the board came up with you've already heard this morning i used it in the introduction. The unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach. Is a congregation. Open minds. Loving hearts. And helping hands. That you're looking for insights soundbite answer when you're at the publix in someone's home before you go to church. Andrea ricotta fication. Open mind. Loving hearts. And helping hands. The covers i think it every aspect of our faith. For here is this unitarian universalist community. Let's take the first part open minds we are hopeful. To the wisdom of all the world's great religions and all great religious at all great traditions of thought and we willingly embrace spiritual inside an ethical truth wherever it can be found. Rating upgrade for cochran clay or some other faith tradition like the last realism. We are open. Whatever it is. Secondly loving heart. We seek to approach everything in life. With loving and compassionate hearts. Affirm our first principle which is the inherent worth and dignity of every person. And the third part of this helping hands. We serve others. Most especially those in need or what. Was helping a generous head sharing what we can. Coronavirus. And working with others of goodwill on their people of goodwill all over this town another faith tradition. Who work with us on the homeless shelter in. The food pantries that are lots of good people. With to whom we will bond and work with projects that increase human dignity and justice and quality-of-life we're not the only ones with helping hand. So every sunday. When we like this chalice of the early part of the service. I hope it reminds us that we are coming together not as a social club. Not as a pleasant little chardonnay in three club we are gathered as a people of faith. We will come into this space. With open minds. Loving hearts. And helping hands. And when we leave here. That's the way we will leave and those rest of the days of the week we will live. Open minds. And loving. Hearts of helping hands we come ready here. Weather ourselves to the work of making ourselves in the world better. And we come here because we know. The future of the world just like it did for those unitarians in world war the future of the world lives in our hands. It matters profoundly how we live. Each of us is that important it matters profoundly. How do you live. Open mind. And helping hands. And i say to you this sunday and lead. In 1830. 1830 theodore parker said this. Navigation in boston. The hours of religion looks like sunshine goes everywhere. It's 10:00 allstate. It's trying the good heart gets freed all through its ritual words of love. It's profession of faith. Define livid. Go to your week. Unitarian. University. God bless.

uufvb_org

2015Mar01Sermon128.mp3

Good morning. All the rain is over and this is the best day of the weekend and don't you dare spend this afternoon in front of a computer terminal. Don't you dare. Good morning and welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we are so pleased you've chosen to begin this great day with us. We are current location as the slide set. Open minds loving hearts and helping hands people seeking to become our best individual selves. Even as together as a church. We work to make a better world. And please know that you're welcome just as you come to us this morning. Whether you were young larold gay or straight black or white or latino or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What do you have a ged or a phd. Whether you're a visitor with us this morning for the first time or been coming for decades. Whether you're feeling on top of the world or down in the dumps or somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you. Is you coming all of your particularity in charm. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. I think you'll find something here this morning to take with you. That will make your weeks and days ahead. Better and more fulfilling. Are opening words this morning come from the reverend ken patton who was the leading humanist minister in the 20th century in our movement he wrote. Let us worship with our eyes and ears and fingertips. Let us love the world through her heart and mind and body. We feed our eyes upon the mystery in revelation. In the faces of our brothers and sisters. We seek to know the wistfulness of the very young and the very old. The wistfulness of people in all times of life. We seek to understand the shyness behind arrogance. The theory behind pride the. Tenderness behind clumsy strength. And the anguish. Behind cruelty. All life. Flo's in a great common life. If we will only open our eyes. To our companions. Let us worship not involving down not with closed eyes and stop at ears. Let us worship with the opening of all the windows of our being. With a fool out stretching of our spirits. Life comes with singing and laughter with tears and confiding. With a rising wave too great to be held in the mind and heart and body. To those who have fallen in love with life. Let us worship. And let us learn tomorrow. Do this morning our focus is on humanism as a source of our unitarian universalist faith. And we included the latest sort of compilation of humanist ideas for you to take home. We're going to quickly the three of us read this and then tiffin old-fashioned you can follow along or just listen. This was drafted in 19 and a 2003 and a number of prominent humanist. Yu-gi-oh blisters or signatures on this. I begin. Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that without supernaturalism. Affirms our ability and responsibility. Delete ethical lives of personal fulfillment. That aspire to the great. The greater good of humanity. The life stance of humanism guided by reason inspired by compassion. An informed by experience. Encourages us to live life well and fully. It evolved through the ages and continues to develop through the efforts of thoughtful people who recognized that values and ideals. However carefully wrought. Are subject to change as our knowledge and understanding advanced. Humid. Is part of an ongoing effort the manifest. Clear and positive terms. The conceptual boundaries of humanism. Not what we must. Believe. But a consensus of what we do believe. It is in this sense. That we affirm the following. Knowledge of the world is drive-by observation. Experimentation and rational analysis. Humanists find that science is the best method for determining this knowledge as well as for solving problems. And developing beneficial technology. We also recognize the value of new departures in thought. The arts an inner experience. Each subject. To analysis by critical intelligence. Humans are an integral part of nature. The result of unguided evolutionary change. Humanists recognize nature as self-existing. We accept our lives. Ozora land enough. Distinguishing things as they are. From things as we might wish. Or imagine them to be. We welcome the challenges of the future. And are drawn to and undaunted by the yet to be known. Ethical values are derived from human need. And interest. As tested by experience. Humanist ground values in human welfare shaped by human circumstances enter. And concerns. And extend to the global ecosystem and beyond. We are committed to treating each person. As having inherent worth and dignity. And to making informed choices. In a context of freedom. Consonant with responsibility. Life's fulfillment emerges from individual participation in the service of human ideals. We aim for our fullest possible development at animate our lives with a deep sense of purpose. Finding wonder and all in the drawers and beauties of human existence. It's challenges and tragedies. An even in the inevitability. Finality of death. Humanist rely on the rich heritage of human culture. And the life stance of humanism to provide comfort and times of want. And encouragement in times of plenty. Humans are social by nature and fun meaning in relationships. Humanists longed-for and strive toward a world of mutual care and concern. Free of cruelty and its consequences. Where differences are resolved cooperatively without resorting to violence. The joining of individuality with interdependence. It's riches our lives encourages us to enrich the lives of others and inspires hope of attaining peace. Justice and opportunity for all. Working to benefit society maximizes individual happiness. Progressive cultures have worked. Free humanity from the brutalities of mere survival. And to reduce suffering. Improve society. And develop global community. We seek to minimize the inequities of circumstances and ability. And we support adjust distribution of nature's resources. And the fruits of human effort. So that as many as possible. Can enjoy a good life. And then the manifesto ends in this summary. Humanists are concerned for the well-being of all. Are committed to diversity. And respect of those differing yet humane views. We worked well pull the equal enjoyment of human rights and civil liberties and an open secular society. I maintain it is a civic duty to participate. In the democratic democratic process. Any planetary duty to protect nature's integrity diversity. And beauty. In a secure and sustainable manner. Engaged in the flow of life. Wheels fire. With the conviction. Humanity. To progress towards highest ideals. The responsibility for our lives. And the kind of world in which we live. It's ours and ours alone. You're in the morning reading. Morning with the help of my colleague and friend the reverend ginger luke we continue our sermon series which represented occasional. Sunday's over the year. About the six official sources of our faith. Now it's my educated guess that even though i've already preached the first three sermons in this series. And i would remind you these sermons are all on our congregational website in both video and pdf formats for your perusal. The majority of you are still much more familiar with the seven principles of uuism. Which we print safely in the order of service. Every sunday then you are these. Six sources of our faith which the denomination has identified. After i nominate enumerating the seven principles the bylaws of our denomination which were adopted in 1984. Immediately go on to list the official six sources and are you see them. And the ginger let's i will we won't read them out loud i was going to do that but in deference to time you. Jessica. Scroll through them yourself. No. You might well wonder why in our free-thinking denomination that we have bothered to formally enumerate these six sources. Inform and shape our faith well. It's because like all traditions are tradition needs to answer the.. The epistemological question. And the epistemological question and religion is simply. By what authority. Does your face tradition say something. Is real or true. Good. Or right. And what the. Be at the word epistemology is just kind of a fancy academic and philosophical way of saying. The methods and grounds or theory of knowledge. The epistemological question is simply. This. Authority is a really big and a central issue in religion because i think it's obvious when you think about it. If any religion any religion cannot answer this question. In a reasonable sound and authoritative manner. The division huge. Spiritual and intellectual trouble. No for many traditional christian religions indeed most of the congregations here in town. The epistemological question is answered something like this. The source of authority for our religion is the word of god. And the teachings of jesus. As recorded in the bible. And as interpreted by church doctrine and tradition. Now in all of its various christian artists relation. This is a clear and reasonable epistemology. It just is. In judea at what they're saying is in the judeo-christian scriptures read the bible. God and jesus have shown us the way to what is real and true to what is good and right it's a successful answer. 30 pistol logical question. Indeed in the 18th and 19th century both early unitarianism and early universalism. Had biblically-based epistemology. Very much clothes. To this one. But. Early so early unitarianism in early universalism and i remind you they were both liberal judeo-christian sex. Roll up in new england. Relied almost exclusively our traditions did. Unbiblical scripture. And our albeit liberal interpretive understanding of the nature of god and nature of human potential and the teachings of jesus. We we saw jesus and god differently than say a a calvinist. But we still were biblically-based. Tradition. For both the individual and society at large we looked to the bible for essential direct. But. With the arrival of the 20th century. And thus we arrive at today's focus. Both unitarianism and universalism became increasingly open to and influenced by. Humanism. And also the other great world eastern traditions like buddhism hinduism and taoism. That was a weeaboo. Way beyond our christian roots. Very quickly. Do about 100 years ago. Unitarian universalist began to embrace a much wider. And more inclusive spirituality and epistemology that moved us way past. Jesus. And the bible. And so when it came time for the denomination to update our epistemological source statement in 1984. That is the state nothing wanted that we had up earlier. With the six. New sources this is what came out. Of their discernment in 1984 and you will see that the fifth. Bullet point there. Is humanist teachings. Which council us. To heed the guidance of reason. And the results of science. And warner. Against idolatry. Of the mind. And spirit. And we are earlier read to you the latest iteration of the humanist manifesto. Which also kind of gives you a core. Idea of what humanist teaching. And i included a copy of this so you can take it home and. If you're inclined think about it and study it further. But i want to begin our exploration of humanism this morning by asking all of you and the pews you're a rather typical uu congregation. How many of you find yourself. In substantiv agreement with that little white sheet in front of how many view you might quibble with a few points but how many of you are comfortable with that document. Okay. Good that's what i. That's what i expected. For today a large majority of unitarian universalist are theologically. Spiritually and intellectually comfortable with the foundational ideas of humanism even if there are maybe a little more spiritual in their own private lives. Indeed i think. I can i think i can legitimately say. The reform movement had to pick just one of those six sources. I am thank goodness we don't have to pick just one. But if we did as a movement we probably pick humanism. Over all of the other five. Because. Humanism articulates so many of our core values. And understanding about life. Knows i'm sure you all know. Humanism in our time. Is. Rightly attacked by both social and religious conservatives. As being a sinister force of godless immorality. Relativism and hedonism. Do you see any of godless immorality and hedonism on that white sheet. No. But that doesn't stop. A number of conservative,. Humanism when clearly and literally articulated is not a slug denial of god. Or rejection of fixed moral standard. It is rather an intellectually honorable and reasonable alternative way. Do understand creation. And even more importantly it is an honorable and reasonable way. To arrive at an ethical and moral code which can serve and save. The human enterprise on earth. It's not so much a rejection of. Traditional christianity in god as it is an affirmation of a different way. Of seeing life and ethics. And so with that said about humanism an overview i want to turn the pulpit now over to my dear colleague ginger. Full share with you while she is at unitarian universalist. Calls herself a humanist and why does modern approach to life and what what this means to her ginger. The floor is yours. I grew up in the sandhills of nebraska. The land has. Gentle flowing hills i could look out over the hills with the wind blowing across the grass. And it seems quite similar to watching the atlantic waves rolling into. I also realized that when i was away and drove back into those rolling sandhills. I breathe easier. Slower. Not unlike when i look out again at those ocean waves. I grew up. Close. To the land. My father would take me out for walks across the prairies and tell me the names of the grasses. And picoblade and she wanted a while. We spent hours working in the family garden. Play the little lake below our house it was fed. By the minute canusa creek which flowed into the niobrara. Where we canoed and canoes and canoed before it flowed into the missouri river. I always knew. I was a part of the natural world. The idea that man and nature were two separate things would have perplexed. As a child. The world was filled with mystery. But a mystery of which i was apart. You couldn't walk out of it because you were in it and it in you. There was rape our for creation and destruction in the world i grew up in. But the power was not a conscious planning and manipulated power. It was a power which invited exploration. And discovery. All and wonder. We're elicited by it as well as caution. And attention. And i was apart of it. I was a part because i was a human being. Everyone else was a part of it too. And in that amazing sense of place. I experienced love. It was the ethical basis for the life of the people in my family. I was unconditionally love. You know that human the hardwired rate we have always reaching out and helping someone if they fall or trip beside us. That's the world i grew up in. If you slept someone helped you. If something was having people help you carry it. We were a part of that natural world. And we respected that natural world and we valued each other. And if that wasn't. As i looked out at the world. I knew i knew it was because. People were hurt. Or afraid. That love i experienced was created. Given. And received by people. It's shaped how i cared about people how i helped people how i learn to learn more about people i had never known. How i thought of those who came before me and of those who would come after me. We were creating the best world we could. And our actions were motivated. By our imagination of the world. That might be. The world was in process. And our job was to participate the best way we knew. And yes later i love those process the emoji. Years ago. I was helping establish a unitarian universalist campus ministry at the university of nebraska. The college students were amazing. And motivated as they planned their entire program and shortly after we began. A conservative lutheran graduate students joined our group. To try to convert us i thought. But as he kept coming. It seemed he was trying to figure us out. One day he said to me i think i figured you out. I think i understand you. You don't control your actions. Because. God told you to. You do it because. Right. You got it. I don't care because god told me not to. I don't kill because i don't want to world in which people kill each other. I don't steal because god told me not to steal i don't steal because i don't want to world. Where people steal. I don't hate. Because god told me not to hate i don't hate. Because i don't want to live in a world filled with hate. And i love. Care for people. Not because god told. But because that is the kind of world i want. And i want to leave for the. Who come after. Now. About a hundred years ago there was a unitarian minister. Name john dietrich. And john.. Sometimes no novice. One of the fathers of humanness. And in 1960. He wrote these words. Which i was reminded up as i was. If we live in a great impersonal universe. It matters tremendously. How we conduct ourselves. We are actually the maker. Of human destiny. We are not simply individuals who have a beginning in live and an ending. We are linked. In the endless chain of life. 2 oz has been committed. All that life has one from chaos. In all the ages. Only through us. Can the trust from the past. Be transmitted in. He wrote. The little bit later. Our chief business therefore. Is 2 ft beauty. In place of ugliness. Good. In place of evil. Laughter in place of tears. To dispel error with. Knowledge. Hatred with love. Display stripes. And contention with peace and cooperation. And somehow when is within us. Is a voice. Which urgently calls us to these tasks. It is the life. It is the aspiration after better thing. It is human. At its best. And breivik. It is what many call divine. Some even call it god. In any case. It is. Religion. And then i remember back. My mother was the choir director in a presbyterian church. I had a pain with 12 bars attached. 412 years of perfect attendance. In the presbyterian sundays. I believe. The god is love. Often i have said if people had just stopped. They just stopped right there and said god is love. I would probably still call myself a theist. Because to this day i feel the strongest power in this world is love. It is what brings me great joy and it is what brings me great pain. When does abs. Or distorted. Love is what in courage. Creativity. And empathy and beauty and peace. And a sense of belonging. It was that same presbyterian mother who when she was ironing one day said to me. I think heaven and hell are what we make on this. That she said she doesn't remember saying that. But i remember hearing. Now for me when the natural world is. Cruel and vicious. It is love human love that holds and comforts me. The gift me solid ground on which to stand. I have never thought. What the insurance companies called acts of god. Wherever really acts of god. Who wants to god that causes or allows. Tornadoes or hurricanes. Or the death of children or adults. When my brother died at 33 from cancer. I remember driving on the highway thinking. It must be love. Little.. In that sunset. And that tree is. Snow in the ground. Add when my daughter died ats-34 from. I remember i remember that. Rideable warm. From hundreds of people and scott was there when this happen. Hundreds of people. Sent their love. Drew a picture. Set a prayer. Whose heart ache. Physically ache. I know she lives today. In me. And all those lives. And that is. And when and when human cruelty or violence. Causes pain and death because sometimes human is saint unitarian-universalist in general get accused of. Not paying any attention. The darkside. When that happen. It is. Human love. Which i am not at all uncomfortably calling. Divine love. Where i go. I often find this is my unitarian universal. Community. It is this love within this community that directs me not to just sit. And take it. But to do all i can. The stop that cruelty and violence. To experience catastrophe. Often causes me to act. As well as. This week. Mark the 50th anniversary. Of the march. In selma alabama. A march for voting rights civil rights for respecting the inherent worth. Of everyone. My first husband marched across that edmund pettus bridge 50 years ago. He would have called himself an atheist. I would have called him a religious humanist. Because he went down to selma. With his unitarian universalist minister. And he was supported by that unitarian universal. Congregation. He wasn't. A humanist outside of community. And today as a religious community our unitarian universalism. Knows the religious work. He was doing in selma. Is not finish. Participating in a religious community. Makes my humanism hole. Cuz i don't exist. In the world as a solo entity. I'm a part of that whole. Which i knew even as a child. Being a humanist. Is a religious act. Going deeper into that could lead into sermons about community about god and prayer. I'm grace and miracles. About forgiveness in fear. And addressing the dark side of myself. All of those are for another sir. Being a humanist. Calls me to my better self. Holds me in blessed community. During the good times and the hard time. It allows me to continually search. For more meaning and understanding. In both the world of science. And art. And my humanism. Is shaped by love. May it always. And i have. Several more pages of the sermon that i'm not going to read it will be on the website i'm just going to summarize because of the hour. But i wanted to say. Humanism is at his heart and ontological proposition about the structure of the universe. There is nothing supernatural there's nothing transcendent there's nothing pulled out from the natural world above it ruling it dumb idiot. Humanism is the affirmation that there is no supernatural. Extraction. And it isn't ethical proposition. We are fiercely responsible for and in charge of our response to the world and our response to one another. I am totally enamored with humanism ethical side ethical proposition. That we are fiercely responsible. For the way we. The way we structure society. The way we live our daily lives we go to publix. Everything about our lives we are responsible for both in terms of society. International situation. In terms of our own private life. It's the ontological piece. That there's. That i have just a little trouble with. My trouble is that. I see a sacredness in the holiness. A divinity sunk deep down in natural life i agree with them that there's nothing extracted no supernatural power beyond the world. But unlike a lot of rational humanist i want a little mystical goo in there. To say that there's something i called god that is sunk deep down in nature it is a natural sacredness a natural divinity. Chihuahua i'm thrilled with the ethical. Instinctive humanism. I want a kind of combined. A little bit of mystikal. Spirituality with the proposition. That it is the natural world that you seen you get and there's nothing else. That'll all be on the website you can read it a little more detail. But i just summarized what about seven or eight pages of a sermon in. There it is and so i say and mean to you i'm in. And we close. Please be seated. With more words from humanist pioneer. John dietrich. For centuries he wrote. The idea of god has been at the very heart of religion. It has been said. No god. No religion. Ecumenism. Thinks of religion. That's something very different. And far deeper. The nanny belief in god. To humanism. Religion is not the attempt to establish right relation. With a supernatural being. But rather be up reaching and aspiring impulse in a human life. It is life. Striving for its. Sweetest fulfillment. An anything which contributes to this fulfillment is religious. Whether it be associated. With the idea of god. Or not. I'm in our service.

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2011Mar06Sermon32.mp3

Good morning. Stay when will gets much-anticipated rain i hope. Welcome. To the safety of this place. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach florida. Please know that you are welcome here no matter how you come to us. Whether you are young or old. Gay or straight. Black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. Whether you were feeling on top of the world or. Down in the dumps. Somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you just. Come this morning. In all of your humanness. We hope that you will find the service meaningful and enriching this morning. Google find something here that nourishes your spirit. And feed your soul. And gives you renewed energy and joy. For the coming week. I miss bring a friend sunday when we extend a special welcome to folks in our community who may not very familiar with our community of faith. I thought it would get right to the heart of the matter. And share with you and my brief time to scorning. What i believe it means at its core to be a unitarian universalist. This can be summed up by thinking one word. Being restless means that you are an architect. Not architect. Like frank lloyd wright. Was a famous twentieth-century designer of great and beautiful buildings. Including several of our churches in the midwest because he was after all a unitarian. Universal. Talking about. Being a unitarian universalist means that you are rather an architect. Of the heart. Being a unitarian universalist simply means a lifetime. To this. The purposeful. Uncompassionate structuring. About self and society. Let me say this is slightly different way. Reverse list means that you spend your life striving to intentionally shape. Both your own personal culture. And the culture of your community. In accordance with our seven-minute aryan universalist principles. The seven unitarian universalist principles that we threat every sunday in the order service. I want to remind you about the principles that guide our faith. First there is very important. Inherent worth and dignity. Of every person. And then seeking justice. Equity. Compassion. In human relations that's a small order is. Acceptance of one another. And encouragement of everyone just spiritual growth. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning claudia talked about. We're questioning. The right of conscience. And the use of the democratic process. Within our congregations and in the society at large we are the quintessential american faith face. On the principal. The goal of world community. Peace liberty and justice for all. And the seventh principle we added in the 70. Because of the ecological crisis we knew was coming. Respect. For the interdependent web of all existence. Of which we are irretrievably. Unitarian universalist means to spend a lifetime letting yourself. Your best self. To these seven noble dream. For the human. Enterprise both. In the daily rounds of your personal life. And in your larger life as a citizen. Of the wider world in the hope that someday humanity. Mysam. They are cheap some of that justice equity and compassion. Freedom and respect. For all person. And all communities. Now. Because we are a liberal creedal religion. The doesn't insist is claudia pointed out that everyone think and believe a light. And that is the key thing that anyone must understand about us when you come to these fused everyone sitting next to you thinks the same way you do. We are a non credo religion. Because we do not insist the people. Exactly like many in our culture. Mistakenly believe that unitarian universalism. Is a low-key. Wishy washy kind of anything goes religion. Although garrison keillor. Ab lake wobegon fame. Happens to be very fond of unitarian universalist. Many of the jokes he repeated ad nauseam tells on the prairie home tippity only picks on us cuz he likes us. He likes us and he likes the lutherans of which he is a part in any case. He has perpetuated ipic unwittingly. Aren't i think undeserving image as a lightweight not serious face just two of his favorite uu jokes if i might. 179 on his radio show garrison. Lightheartedly told of walking into our modern building our modern church in santa fe which is a little. And being shocked you said in his radio show up on the wall. Another another occasion and in one of his books. He describes with great relish and ridicule the earnest nineteenth-century is slander. Unitarian missionaries and there were lots of unitarian icelanders in the upper midwest. He points out that the icelandic unitarian missionaries came to lake wobegon quote. To save the indians. Through interpretive dance. Now thanks to garrison keillor and others their whole lot of folks out there and trust me i hear this all the time because i'm unitarian universalist minister. A whole lot of people out there who think mistakenly think that unitarian universalist means that you can quote. Anything you want or quotes believe anything you want. Nothing could be further. From the truth to sink this about us is to miss entirely. Both the soul and the substance of our faith. We are open to new ideas we are involving free religious tradition. Refusing to trap itself in dogma or creed. We are always open to new ways of thinking. But being a unitarian universalist means that you take your religious and ethical life. With a terrible seriousness of purpose. As i have already a fur. Being a you you means that you are an architect of the heart. Devoting a lifetime. For the purposeful and compassionate structuring. Apple self. And society in accordance. With r7. Guiding. Principal. And this is not something new for us as a denomination this idea. We unitarian-universalist have understood this. Dual responsibility. Of intentionally and compassionately structuring both self and society. To be at the center of the religious life. For hundreds of years. From their earliest beginnings liberal. Christian center unitarian universalist. Since our earliest days. We have been guided we were guided by two interconnected slogans or saying. The one early in our church history always talked about salvation. Bike character. Salvation. By character. The idea that it's better than ultimately that each individual. Shape his or her character. In principle that compassionate ways. And now the other hand. We talked about something else. Bringing the duty of religion to bring the kingdom of god. To work. That is what is a movement. We have always been devoted to the task of helping to shape society. To reflect the highest and noblest ideals. We have. For humanity. So these two ideas shaping of character in the shaping of society. Still life. Center of our faith journey. I want to take you to these. First. Devoting your lifetime. To intentionally shaping yourself intentionally shaping yourself. Into the best human being you can become. What this means. Is it as unitarian universalist. You are creating within your own particular human being and interior architect. Interior architecture not some rickety. Sing of bamboo to start temporally snap-together. But real solid architect. An architecture. A design of decency. Inside. A design. Of decency in intentional design. As you grow your own self and soul. Into your highest potential. More than 150 years ago the famous unitarian clergyman william ellery channing set. Be careful how you live. It is the only sermon. You will ever preach. And unitarian bard ralph waldo emerson once wrote. The gods we worship write their name. On our faces be sure of that. And a person will worship something. Have no doubt about that either. We may think emerson's dad. Our tribute is paid in secret. In the dark recesses of our heart but it will out. Anthony m. which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives. And our character. Therefore who's that. To be careful. What we worship. For what we are worshipping. We are becoming. A similar vein. A few years back a colleague of mine from saint paul minnesota. Put his sermon title up on the marquis outside of the unity church in st paul minnesota. And all the ministers in the domination. Is title wise. If being a unitarian universalist were against the law. Would there be enough evidence to convict you. If being a unitarian universalist for against the law. Would there be enough evidence. Taking dick. My colleagues point. The being a unitarian universalist. Obliges you to live in certain obvious. Medical waste. It obliges you to physically move through your world. Guided by those seven principle. It requires you to bring your behavior. In line with your beliefs. Your behavior and your beliefs should have congruence. Congruence and consistency. There should be. Congruence. Between what you say you believe. What you espouse with your lips. And how you use your hands. And your hearts. And your. Words. Earlier this week i happen to go to the new chinese restaurant. By the way what is food. I went there. And i got a perfect unitarian-universalist fortune. I swear to god this was in my cookie. It read. I'll just want to show this is the actual one it says. A person of words and not deeds is like a garden. Full of weed amen. A person of words and not deeds is like a garden. Full of weed. Perfect. Another way of saying this there's no such thing as a stealth. Unitarian universalist flying beneath the radar of everyone. If being a unitarian universalist were against the law would there be enough evidence. Take a dick to you there is no such thing. Stella. You you. H let me put this a little differently. Our religion is not an intellectual exercise. It's not simply believing the right thing. It is a lifestyle. It is a life. Style religion. That should be reflected. Day in and day out. In the life you share with others. If you are a serious member of this church. If you are truly practicing your face your police. Your values. Should be profoundly. Apparent. 2002's lives come in deland intersect with your. Let me see it one more way. There's no such thing if you you of being in the closet. You got to come out. You got to come out. And live your face. For all. So that takes care of the first half of what it means to be a uu. Building interior architecture of purpose. And compassion. Is sturdy and reliable infrastructure that serves you in your daily life. But then there's the second equally important sphere of our faith. I'll being an architect of the heart and that is. That we must build a societal. Architecture. Of justice. Equity and compassion for all. But we need to be a part of building a societal architecture of justice. Equity and compassion. We're all and some of you may not know. The from the earliest days of america of our republic. Many of the greatest advocates. Of social justice and social reform. Were unitarians or universal. First there was. Theodore parker. Will you see on your left. And william ellery channing on the right. They fought. To end slavery. In america parker carried a gun. Every sunday in his pulpit he had freed slaves in his church in boston. Any dare danny slave-catcher. And get them. Then there was dorothea dix. And benjamin rush. Who led the way in american penal reform. And the reform of bethel healthcare. It was horace mann. Who you see obviously on your left. Who fought for free universal education which today is threatened in case you don't know it. Elizabeth peabody. Who founded the first kindergarten. Doesn't she look like a qualified. I'm sure she was a love. Joseph tuckerman. And margaret fuller. Help to create modern social welfare protection for the poor and for workers. Samuel ridley how do you see on the left. Another right that's dashing man henry bird. Who fought for those who cannot defend themselves gridley how. Pioneer work for the care of the blind. And henry bird on the right. Founded both the society for the prevention of cruelty to animals. And a similar organization to protect children. From labor. And domestic abuse. And then there was clara barton. Will you see on the left. Who founded the american red cross and julia ward howe on the right. Who founded the first mother's day which was a mother's day for peace not a sentimental thing about sending. Cookies to your mother but actually about world peace. And finally susan b anthony on your right on your left i'm sorry. And elizabeth cady stanton. Who fought. Or equal rights. For women. This is a great legacy and just a part of it. A social concern and social justice. Which still animates our movement unitarian and universalist they are fighting. All over the place. For greater social justice. Took this picture off the web this is massachusetts you you lie invented the world wide web all by himself. A gray sky. And that we're still at it. Talk about a web of connection talk about the interdependent web of all leases. This. The greatest. Legacy of our heritage. We look outward from these walls and do what we can here in vero beach and all over the country. To build a weider. Human architecture. Of compassion. Injustice. We do this locally as. As jack allred. Sad. By giving our plate collection away each and every sunday. The worthy organizations here on the treasure coast in through our. Social justice film series. Which raises issues here in vero beach about. Human exploitation. We also engage in many other social justice projects during the year here. And our congregation. With other people of good faith in our community and there are of course many. Gathered. What houses of worship. All over our town. And told your friends whether you are a guest. With us this morning. Poo poo up till now has known almost nothing about unitarian universalism. Or whether you are a third-generation unitarian-universalist like me. Who has had this faith tradition virtually hardwired. Into your heart. This isn't a nutshell what it means to be a part of this phase. Being a unitarian universalist. Me and you devoted lifetime. To the purposeful and compassionate structure. About self and society. In accordance with our 7. Humanity. Affirming. Principal. This troubled world of ours. Desperately needs congregation. Of concerned men and women. Devoting themselves to the building. The finer individual self. And the more just. Humane society. Here at this fellowship in vero beach. We are humbly. And at the same time about this business of building. Both ourselves. And the better since i. It is humbling. Because none of us has. And no congregation. It is a humbling prayer. Which we are about. Please no. That each and everyone of you. Is ralph. If you are so moved to join with us. This great journey. Toward that. Is josh. And that which is loving. For that is what. To be a unitary. Am i saying mean underscore.

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2010Sep05sermon128.mp3

uufvb_org

2010Aug29sermon128.mp3

uufvb_org

2012Mar18Sermon32.mp3

30 years old. Person. Usefulness. By the time you're 30 you're supposed to be all grown up and going somewhere you're supposed to be adequately educated. Gainfully employed. Family & career active in your community in the world and generally reasonable things in your life. And so it should be for a congregation. By the time you're 30 you should be as a congregation all grown up and going somewhere. By the time our 30th anniversary rolls around.. And what if the leaves. What a cares about and serves. What is spends its resources and time on. And how it's going to devote itself. To help humanity and creation. The good news is that on our 30th birthday we are in fact. A grown-up congregation. And we are going somewhere. No we're not done growing. And getting better at all we do. But we are good and strong. Congregation. Serving love and hope and justice. Making a real difference. Within these four walls. And beyond in the wider world. So i say to you. And mean it. Happy. 30th. Birthday. For those of you who do not know the florida district. Executive. Is the other half of congregational polity for you. Mostly i work with your leadership. To nurture. Sustain encouraged the growth of our witness in the world. And the health and vitality of our congregation. I say the other half of congregational polity. And that each of our congregations is free and autonomous. Choosing its own. Form of worship. Calling its own ministers and electing its own officers. My relationship with you. Is to affirm that first and foremost but also the other part of our the congregationalists. Is that all the congregations are united. In a loving association of accountability. Support and nurture. So on behalf of the other 47 congregations in the florida district. I congratulate you. On your 30th anniversary. The same as the 40 years the bible speaks of. Long enough. But we live in a hasty world so 30 years is long enough for you to fulfill what scott just described. Being a grown-up leading the ministry into new directions. At a time of. National anxiety and increasing polarization where we are divided in the world ever more into the save-the-date. And our universe's teaching that love will triumph over all. And all are worthy of our love. Because all i lovable. Is a message that not only needs to be affirmed in this hall. But in our daily lives. Larger communities we find ourselves. Resting. Unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach has every great reason to be proud of itself. And to the extent i can i am proud of you as well. Some you've heard and it is still my fun thing to see if. You are the most accomplished. And accomplishing congregation. Entire floor. Congratulations i hope to see some of you next weekend in jacksonville for our annual district assembly. We will talk about crossing the boundaries that divide us. Assignation. Ns communities. To affirm that boundaries ought to be bridges to greater understanding. Rather than walls of division. May your ministry be fruitful. Continuous. Prosperous. And who knows what the next. Thirty years war. Blessings. Tapani vista. The days weeks months and years to come. Talk about the present today. I am happy to report that 30 years out from a founding this congregation in my view is healthy. Happy strong and purposeful. Let's just take a quick snapshot of where we are. First our numbers. Wash your numbers never tell the whole story of a congregation health and success. They do speak volumes. Are numbers clearly show. We are vibrant growing an energetic congregation. Our adult membership has never been higher. A review of our records shows that. Our numbers have increased steadily over the last three decades. And. A rapidly increased about 20% over the last two years. Similarly the current gation stewardship giving has never been higher. It's been growing more rapidly even that our membership. In the last 2 years is rose 30%. And overall the budget here uscb. With the two successful enterprises we have our nursery school and the emerson center our budget is very healthy. And stable. Walter navigational finances and building maintenance are always a challenge. We are paying our bills. Supporting our staff and programs honorably. And investing as much as we can this wonderful physical plant that we call home. A somewhat larger challenge to grow has been a religious education program. What we have over recent years had a wonderful program thanks to claudia. Our wonderful tre. And we have great families with great kids. We have not seen the growth of this program as we have dreamed. Why is this. One reason surely is that we are a progressive. Non credo inclusive church. Anakaren gation full of very cradle. Very christian churches and so our market share of kids. Inspirational community. Pinchers us. But claudia and i feel on this 30th 30th anniversary that are ira glass. Is not half empty but half full. This is because here at uscb we do a great job of honoring and welcoming every child. Who comes through our doors. Yes our goal is always to grow our re program in terms of raw numbers. But in the meantime we should be satisfied and please we have such a small gem. Of a program. For the wonderful kids who come through our doors. What about the other less quantifiable indicators. Afghani gainesville health and purpose. Well i may be prejudiced. But i think the play almost any measure. This congregation is a wonderful and purposeful congregation. As we just learn from these that the brief history that we had. We are an exceptionally warm and caring community we are hospitable. To all who come through our doors and attentive to everyone who makes this their spiritual home. We enjoy meaningful worship. Great fellowship. Wonderful music. Good meals. And rich programming. And we just have a lot of fun here you know we're not a grim bunch. In a nutshell. We're really good at all that gucci mystical stuff. What makes a car gation. Worth. Like a home. And there is are caring for. Purposefulness beyond these walls with jack laid out. Social justice and community enrichment and caring have always been apart. Of what we do and we had to be really proud that we are serving. Our unitarian universalist principles. For the size we are we have a greater impact in this community everywhere i go people say. Unitarians do so many good things. So. Honest 30th anniversary occasion we should feel good about the present. State. Of affairs here at uscb. Does this mean we have no problems around this place. Horse mask. Does it mean our future is without challenges again of course. But it does me. Sunday. In the month of march in the year 2012. We should feel pretty darn good. About who we are. And what we have become. And now our beloved president arthur where are you come on up. He led his thoughts. Reverend alexander is poking about growth in this fellowship. And i would like to expand on some key points. Wishing merely summarized. Consider our mission statement. We a caring liberal religious community. Encourage spiritual growth. And seek justice. For all. This i suggest outlines those specific areas on which we should focus. If we want to be living proof. Jose congregation. That is walking. The talk. Yes we have grown in numbers. But that rose is all but insignificant in my mind. When compared with the strides we have made as we have begun to embrace. The greater community. Of which we are just a fart. Once we live well back from 43rd avenue behind some trees. And when i asked where we were we often said oh. We're next to the temple. No. We are front-and-center. Adam ager crossroads of this vital community. And when asked we can now just leave reply. Where the building. Dispersing at it seems. For that is indeed. What we are doing. We are known by musicians. And educators. Indigenous. And this river pontifex editors. Thanks door speaker and humanity series. Bridges early learning center. Music homeless. And our sunday fund programs. In terms of service to and for this community. We have grown almost unbelievably. Over a very few years. And that means. That we have within us a reservoir of ingenuity. Inspiration. Good dramatic sense. And they will. To make a difference. But our growth goes far beyond these areas that i have just mentioned. For we have also grown in memorable. In our concern for and attention to. Groups. Within our own. Community. Fellowship. Covenant groups. Musical groups. Education groups. Reading groups. I think they're probably some eating group here somewhere. These are just part of what we offer. So profusely. Who are the dream when we first looked at this grand new home. It was in a few years. We would find ourselves short. Of meeting space. Since we won't stop growing. That problem. Will continue. You'll become more complex. But with complexity. Can also come excitement. I speak here of the growth in our impact on the greater community of which we are a part. May this kind of growth. Continue. To be the hallmark. Hope unitarian universalist fellowship. A vero beach. And now just these very brief words. What i think about our future. Let me tell you the truth. In our congregation or future. We will never have quite enough people. To accomplish all our dreams. We will never have quite the energy. To fulfill our potential. We will never have quite enough time. To address all of the conjugations needs. We will never have quite enough money. To maintain this building perfectly. We will never have quite enough kids. To fill every nook. And cranny of this place with laugh. We will never have quite enough finances. The pay our staff. Completely adequately. We will never have quite enough resources. To address all of our community's needs. We will never have quite enough to be perfectly absolutely a most elegant unitarian universalist congregation in all of human history. We will have more than enough vision. This congregation has always had us. We will always have more than enough joy. We've known. We will always have more than enough passion. We've always known how to do the work of our faith here on the treasure coast. We will always have more than enough compassion. We've always know how known how to reach out and care for others. We will always have more than enough hope. We've never been victims. Of malaise. We will always always. Have more. Enough love. For this congregation has always lived from its heart. Here within these walls. And ever more widely. Pouting. We will always. Have. Are gala. 30th anniversary celebration is complete. To our bright future. As a congregation. We are a good. And strong congregation. We are a vibrant and caring community. With so much to do and share both within these walls. And beyond. So let us know this place renewed and strength and the joy. Of our community. In the days. At years ahead.

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2015Feb22Sermon128.mp3

Good morning everyone is glad to be 80° today but the warm weather. My goodness welcome to the treasure coast. And welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach we are carnations the slide set. Open minds loving hearts and helping hands people seeking to become our best individual cell. Even as together as a congregation we work to make this world a better place. Please know that you're welcome just as you come to us this morning. Whether you are young or old gay or straight black or white or some other wonderful shade of humanity. What do you have a ged or a phd. Whether you were a visitor for the first time this morning oregon coming for decades. Whether you were feeling this morning absolutely on top of the world. Or down in the dumps or maybe somewhere in between. We are delighted to see you. Just as you. We hope you'll find our service this morning meaningful and enriching. And that you will find something here this morning to take with you that nourishes your spirit and feeds your soul and gives you renewed energy and purpose and joy. For the living of life and the days and weeks ahead. We come to this place. Because we need each other. We need to see each other. We need to touch each other. We need to smell each other and we need to hug each other. We need each other. So we come to this place. We come to work. We come to talk. To sing. To laugh. Enter dance. We call this a religious community not because this is holy ground. But because what we do here. What we say here together. And what we are here. Makes it a sacred gathering. Good morning everyone. I am delighted to be with you as most of you probably know i was here last night and. I shared them a little bit about. What a fabulous. Unitarian universalist fellowship you have established here in vero beach. So wonderful to see. Our reading for this morning is by. One of my ministerial colleagues the reverend earl hope. And he writes this. Every once in a while someone realizes that. Spirituality and sure. Are not synonymous. This is an old idea that for some reason always strikes some people as new. I believe in spirituality but i don't believe ensure. Someone declares. Continuing they say. I can be just a spiritual on a mountaintop. Or much more likely on the golf course. Church on sunday. The response to which is. Of course you can. The more important question is. Whether you are. Believe. Matter little if that's all they are. What you do and express matters more. We believe in education so we build school. We believe in medicine so we build hospital. Schools or hospitals are only one way of expressing such values but they are away. Here we are dealing with one of the oldest. Of truth. Value. Are more important only as they are are embodied. Express. In some concrete action. Out there. There are millions of people i know who are as we say unitarian universalist without knowing it. But they concern me less. Then the people i know who are unitarian universalist without showing it. People in other words who believe in the values of liberal religion. Freedom of conscience. Tolerance of diversity reason and democracy. But who fail to express it. Buy some commitment to a church. Which attempts. However imperfectly. To embody those down. Mature is not spirituality i know that. And the church is a very imperfect institution. People are imperfect. The church is people are go. The church is imperfect there's just no way around it logically or otherwise. I believe in spirituality relatively easy thing to do i also believe in the church. And that's sometimes. Harder. But in an imperfect world it is one of the best things we've got. Our church. Is open to anyone who believes in spirituality. Or for that matter even people who don't. Or say they don't. But it wouldn't be here for anyone. Except for the fact that there are those who believe in the church. And express that belief by their active. Sapore. Spirituality. Is amore. Picture. Depends upon us. It's an old truth. But there it is. This concludes. Once. There was a woman. Bought a rare antique collectors car. A beautiful high performance. 1929. Italian bugatti. Permanent scar. Was so wonderful and rare. That the woman decided that she wanted to have it blessed. She went to her local roman catholic church and thought out the priest. That you said sir. I just got this wonderful 1929 bugatti. Well i was wondering if you'd be willing to bless it for me. The kindly priest. Said. Sure. I'd be very happy to bless. Your bugatti but. What's a bugatti. Well hearing this the women hesitated for a moment and then quickly decided that the priest. Just would not have. Quite the appropriate appreciation. For her new vehicle to do the blaster. So. He said well thank you kind sir but i think maybe i better find someone else to do this. So she went down the road and stopped at the episcopal church. She sought out the priest and she said. Sure i just got in this wonderful. 1929 bugatti. I was wondering if you'd be willing to bless it for me. The episcopal priest replied well. Sure i'd be happy to bless your bugatti but the. What's a bugatti. And again. Feeling that the priest simply would not have the appropriate appreciation for her new vehicle. She continued on her quest. Well following this with the episcopal church. She had essentially the same experience with the assembly of god church. With the jewish synagogue the muslim mosque and at the pure mind buddhist zen center. So finally. She decided that she would try one more institution. And yes. She turned to her local unitarian universalist church. She sought out the minister and she said. I've just gotten this beautiful 1929 bugatti. Well i was wondering if you'd be willing to bless it for me. Family minister said. Sure. Be happy to bless your bugatti but. What's a blessing. Didn't see that coming. I'm telling you this story to remind you that we entering universes are indeed. Cut from a different cloth. When it comes to our. Religious sensibilities and understanding. Nothing we're better necessarily but we are. Distinctly different. And yep the question still remains. What is a blessing among unitarian universalist. How would we know one. If we saw it. Well let me return to those questions in just a few minutes. But first. I'd like to share. 4. Short stories. These stories are all true stories that bear on the importance. Of what you are doing. Here at the unitarian universalist fellowship. Abdi roby. These are stories that hopefully will. Will point you towards treasures. And blessing. Open decidedly different or. Treasures and blessings that contribute significantly i would suggest. To the underlying mission. Your fellowship. Ensure. Lsu kickoff your annual stewardship drive i think it's only fitting and appropriate that we think together here. About what. Ground. As a religious move. Okay so 4. Short story. Story number one. Story of carol. Parts of which at least. I suspect may be familiar to many of you reminding you perhaps of your own story. A finding your first. Unitarian universalist fellowship. Sure. Josiah. I invite you to go there in your mind. Carol. Explains. For most of my adult life. Since the time i was in high school. I've been turned off by churches. Finally however. We came. Because. We wanted to church for our daughter melanie. Who. Had begun to ask difficult questions. But now. Now we come. For our cell. Other confirmed non churchgoer for 20 years i remember pinching myself for the first few months and saying things like. I can't believe i'm going to church. Gun sunday. But i love this place. I'm amazed to see just how much. Does church actually it has enriched my life. Through the friendship. Music. Education. Sharing of mud. Laughter. Pierce. It has lifted my soul. Import my family and me. New meanings of human kin. This church is a very important. Of our lives now. Sure. Could do without it but we're tremendously in ranch. By expressing. In our lives. Much as john just. Testify. Story number 2. This is kay's. Story. Show me years ago. Kay's brother john. Was diagnosed. With bone. He was young. In the prime of life. Husband. Father. Add a marathon runner. And he fought hard. To survive. But when it became clear. Said he was not going to make it. He asked for his sister case. Help. Like her. John has been raised roman catholic. But have fallen away from the church. Now his conviction. We're like her. Unitarian universalist. So. Didn't want a funeral mass he wanted a memorial service. Tomorrow. Fully reflect who he was what he value. And how he. Stop to live his life. When the time came. 400. Friend. Jim. The local unitarian universalist society. For john's memorial. At the church says k. During the memorial service. I kept thinking. He could have been a member here. He would have loved. He would have had a lot to share. Why didn't i encouraged him to join. Story number 3. This is my own story. I was 14. And lying. At the bottom of lake sinclair. In grosse pointe michigan. Face down. But. I was conscious. It was dark. And money. Quiet. Covington bold off a boat. I broken my neck. And initially at least i could not move. Time slowed way down. I thought. What am i going to do here. At the time i. Really couldn't do much of anything. Simply hold my breath and wait. But nothing happened. How is still at the bottom. It was still dark and muddy and very quiet. And then. I realize. The ever so slowly. I was beginning. Float to the surface. I was not in pain not yet. But as i calmly waited. Became quite clear that this floating business was going to take a while. That concerns me. After what seems like a very long time. My waiting at last paid off. Finally i felt the back of my head. Break the surface of the water. And i could feel the wind. You know in my hair my scalp. So. I turned that point. Just a little bit. So i could get my mouth out of the water and very feebly. Said. Help. And passed out. Traction. Surgery and the most intense. Physical pain of my life. Followed over the next 3 weeks. During my hospitalization and recovery. my father my two brothers. And a few friends. Came to visit from time to time but. It really was my mother. Who was at my side everyday throughout much of the day and night. She was the one who really got me through that trial. I had always been close to my mother but this experience. Was emblematic of the constancy of her love and. Sapore. 5 months later. Shortly before christmas. My two older brothers jack and tom and i. Solemnly walked in the side door. Our home. My dad. Had just called us on the phone. To come home from a neighbor's house. As we marched into the house. I remember exactly. Where i stood. But. I have no idea. What was coming. As we stood in the hallway. My dad said. Boys. Your mother. Has died. To explain. A week or so earlier. My mother had collapsed unexpected. Have a brain. And was hospital. During that week or so. No one really talked to me about what was going on. Or. Perhaps they did. And i just couldn't take it in. Either way. I had no idea. But she might die. In any case. I never saw my mother again. After she collapsed. As. At that time they didn't allow children of a certain age. To visit hospital. Two brothers were able to. Visit my mom. But not me. Now. She was dead. She was 44. And i. 14. As you can imagine. It was an utterly devastating. Experience. For the whole family. And that what i'm. Well i do not understand at the time. It is clear to me and looking back. That it was my mother's death. Set me on my spiritual journey. In earnest. I turned to the church. With a new sirius. About the meaning of life and. Undoubtedly about. The meaning. 4 long. I left the presbyterian church of my upgrade. Feeling it was just too narrow a place for me. Not all presbyterians are the same. May well have changed considerably since then. This. Church for me at the time was just too dogmatic. Decreased what i found to be an unacceptable moral superiority claiming that jesus was the one and only. Savior. I said to myself. What about all those buddhists and hindus out there who've never even heard of jesus. That was just one. Of my question. I had a lot of. So i left the presbyterian church and went church shopping. Alone. In my father's car on sundays. Sunday morning. My father didn't do. Church. He did. The new york times. It was a long and circuitous search. I was 16 now and i was in. When i would call significant spiritual pain. Pictures of course. In grief. I felt alienated and loan. And i felt like a spiritual outkast. I was determined nevertheless. Going to my integrity. Honor. My doubt. It wasn't until about a year later that i finally heard about the unitarian church after. Checking out about a dozen other possibility. I looked it up in the phone book. Tried it out and it was like coming home. I couldn't believe it. Here they actually welcome. Myquest. Do they actually encouraged me to think for myself. Do they were intentionally inclusive open-minded and non-dogmatic. They even wondered aloud about the existence of god which. Elderly astonished me at the time. They were active in the community working for social justice. So ironically there was no doubt now. At last i had found. Spiritual home. No. A different kind of story. Story number for. The women. Had come from all over. After agonizing. Over their decision. Each atlanta. Had to sign it. To have an abortion. Now they were waiting inside a van in the parking lot outside of a medical clinic. They were waiting there because. Protesters were physically blockading the clinic doors and no one could get in. The young women. Couldn't simply go home because again some of them had come from hours away. The protesters. Then started surrounding the van. And pounding on the sides of the van they started chanting and yelling at the women inside the van. They plastered their grotesque. Computer-enhanced pictures of fetuses. To the windows of the van while the police were busy trying to clear. Clinic door. Well. Clearly something. Needed to be done. The next time. But the clinic doors were blockaded. Instead of waiting in the parking lot. The women were driven to a nearby church. They had created what they called a safe haven. Program. Program a simple. When the clinic was blockaded. The church doors were open. The coffee pot was put on. The women and some staff members from the clinic. Eyewear brought into the church. And safety was usher. It was an especially. Powerful. A statement. Said it was a church. The head opened. Doors. Provide. Safe haven. That church. I'm happy to say. Was the first unitarian society. Of milwaukee. Which i served for many years. We went on from there. To help train hundred. A so-called escorts. And to create. They're remarkably successful milwaukee clinic protect. Which made a huge difference. Both on the streets and in the courts. And reproductive freedom. In the metropolitan area. Of milwaukee. No i tell you these stories this morning. To remind you that your presence here in the wider treasure coast community. Is vitally important. Why. Because there are people out there. Who need you. Somewhere out there there are people like carol. Who is given up on religion and church years ago. But finally found archer. When her daughter melanie started asking difficult questions. And now she can't imagine living without. Why is this fellowship. Important. Because somewhere out there. In vero beach. Sebastian er palm bay of fort pierce. Port st lucie there are people like john. Stricken with bone cancer in the prime of life. But not even knowing. About unitarian-universalism even though it would be the perfect. For him. In his hour of need. Why is this fellowship important. Because somewhere out there there's a lonely sixteen-year-old or 26 or 46 or 66 year-old traipsing from church to church surfing the web looking for a spiritual home. Or what he or she doesn't even know yet is it they're looking for you. We're looking for this fellowship. They're looking for a place where freedom and reason and honest doubt. Spirituality. Community and social justice can all come together in our distinctly unique way. Why is this fellowship important. Because in these perilous and troubling times. The world is literally aching. For our kind of leadership and values. To be at the table. When the salient issues of our time are being debated and decided. As much as ever. Today. Today we need an articulate and organized. Spiritual or religious voices to firmly counter the radical fundamentalist right. An issues like abortion. Stem cell research. Creationism and evolution. Marriage equality climate change and a host of other. Important issue. So please. Money. Money ultimately. Should not be the issue here. There really should. Why. Because far more importantly. You have a treasure here. Incalculable value. So please don't hamstring it. Because of the lack of money. It's vitally important that you are here. As a liberal beacon. In a fairly conservative area. And i missed the wonder and terror of it all i invite you to step up. So the challenge is before you. Admirably you have done before. I invite you to step up again. Imagine what you can be. Because there are people out there and arguably there are people right in your midst. Vitally need you. And that's invite you to reclaim your mission and vision and your reason for being here. I invite you to reclaim it and yes. Ultimately i invite you to pay for it. Enter payforit gladly. Who's john was suggesting. It's a joy to support of vibrant fellowship like this isn't it. Don't you love this fellowship. Don't you want to see it thrive and. And don't you want to see it represent you well in the community. So please. Consider a substantial increase. In your pledge this year. Double your pleasure. Go ahead. Portland $500 or do something significant. So you can meet. What is a fairly substantial goal. This year. And then. When you do. I invite you to open your doors wide. Open your heart. To those in need. And reach for new heights. Of generosity and service. And then i submit. Then you will know. Absolutely and without a doubt. Then you will know. What a blessing. Friends. Metlife bless us. May the light of life shine upon us and shine out from within us and be gracious unto us. And bring us peace. For this is the day. This is the one wild and precious life. We are given. So let us all find a way. To rejoice. And be glad. Samantha.

uufvb_org

2011Jul24Sermon32.mp3

4 years ago. As my partner charlie and i were preparing. To move out of new england where i have lived my entire life. My mother gave us a very wise gift. A global positioning system. Or gps. In the months before we moved. We use this new navigational tool in areas that we knew well in order to get used to it. In those early days we would occasionally miss a turn. Sometimes because we misunderstood. What it meant but sometimes. Being on familiar turf. We would know another way to go better way to go and so we would ignore her instructions. Now i say her because we had programmed our device. Female voice. For a while we even let her have a british accent. But she kept using kilometers instead of miles. And when you're trying to figure out where your turn is you really don't want to be calculating on-the-fly to use the metric system. I came to enjoy missing turns. She would say. Turn right. And charlie would say. I'm going to go straight instead. And i would say. She's not going to like that. And sure enough. As soon as she proceeded the departure from the root she would say. Turn around when possible. No course. The gps did not like or dislike our actions it was just doing what it was programmed to do keep us on track. But sometimes i couldn't help feeling like we had disappointed her. Did you hear that frustration in your voice. Are these people doing. I'm pretty sure. That did not install a voice with frustration in it. But it's a good lesson. About the way some of our emotions onto. Someone else or something else. Those of us who like to follow the rules and not disappoint people sometimes our departure from the expected. Will cost for stration and we hear it even when it doesn't exist. This is just silly when we're talking about a machine. We were talking about a real person. You can add unnecessary confusion and tension to the relationship for example. We might cause ourselves. Originally following the rules. Nobody else really cares. Or we might break the rules and assume somebody else is really upset. And we behave accordingly and they're wondering what the heck our problem is. I heard of one person. Who is sure that her gps size when she goes off route. I'm pretty sure it does. And i wonder if that person hears other people spy. When they do not as well. Hearing judgement that doesn't exist is a problem for a lot of people. Eventually i learned with my gps. That. I wasn't causing real distress. When i chose to take my own path. I understood that as long as i had program dinner route. My gps would simply. A non-judgmentally. Keep guiding me toward my destiny. And then i got to thinking. I guess that's a little bit like god. Or at least. A universalist god. The sort of god that loves you no matter what sort of god or i guess in this case will say goddess. The gently guide to back onto the right path. Turn around when possible. Beacon to go astray. Turn around when possible. Or if i have gone beyond the point of turning around. She has to calculate another route to get me back where i belong. At this point my gps flashes a message that says. Calculating new route. Now of course in life these corrections can come from a god or goddess. The universe are higher power or experience of reality. Or our inner voice. Sometimes. We veer off path. And most of us have something. Have something that helps us get back on path. I think there's another whole sermon taking shape in my mind about. Who and what we listen to at times like these. The question of what is authoritative for us. But that's for another day today. I will simply assume that each of us has. Some way. Of detecting. When we. Are going off path. I might need to get back on. Now if i can personalize my gps. I suppose i can personalize my source of authority. Until 4 today i will call her my goddess. Just like my gps. My god is gone off track & beyond the point of turning around. She too is determined to leave me back. To where i belong and she's rarely so obvious as the flash the message. Recalculating new route. But. Recalculate she does. Like a while back. I overreacted. To an email. I'm sure none of you have ever done this. Her judgment where it did not belong. And then i reacted to that perceived judgment. Not so helpful way in fact it was a downright unhelpful. And i could feel myself going off track during but it was too late. The send button. Had been pushed. And there she sat my goddess. Quietly and compassionately calculating a new route. Because we were not going to get there on that path. And so my new route. Included. Several extra turns. Add a stop in the picturesque. Little village. Asking for forgiveness. I was fortunate enough. To receive a warm welcome there. And i'm now at least for the moment back on track. No one critical difference between my gps and a loving all-knowing source of wisdom has to do with destination. I would like to think that a loving all-knowing sorcerer. Would not have to be told the destination. However on my gps. I choose the destination and i program it in. And it would be just as happy to take me somewhere i should not be going. That's somewhere i should. And i think there's another whole sermon. Brewing on destinations and how we choose know or discover them. Before today let's just assume. If the destination or at least the general direction. Is known. No i've always been a big fan of maps. I like reading maps i like planning trips. I like being the navigator. And when. I had first had a gps in my life. I really looked at a nap anymore. And this was a mixed blessing. The gps is really easy. I just jumped in the car and go. And i'm much older at going to new places when the gps is my co-pilot. But the gps doesn't give me the same perspective as a man. Zoom in. It's a small screen. And it loses the detail fast. And i noticed a change sort shortly after we arrived in texas the first place that we lived outside of the northeast. I never really developed a math and internal math. The dallas-fort worth area. It left me a little lost. When people were talking to me about things like. Someone told me where they were from they say oh yeah. And they would think they had actually communicated something. And all i knew was that they grew up someplace in that really large state of. Even worse was when i didn't know where something was. And i'd actually been there. It was an ethiopian restaurant that we liked and it was in a place called addison. And because of the gps i only knew it was someplace vaguely. Had i had to look it up and find it on a map where i had been. When we move to miami 2 years ago 3 years ago now i tried to be a little more conscientious about looking at maps and learning where i was now. Miami happens to be on a grid so that makes it a little bit easier in this really large body of water that you all have. Actually. Oriented. 12 the directions as well. But i love. And people often use the metaphor. Ava map. Talk about the worldview that each of us has. And that we use to navigate the world. Many physical aspects. To maps but i think our spiritual world is math there as well. A map of the world are ideals and our values. Our ideas about relationships. Understanding our place in the universe. We use it to make our way through life. And i got to thinking about the guiding voice of my gps. My gps offers me. 1 pack. To my destination. So i can click on vine alternate routes but generally at any one time i'm looking at 1 route. Focused on one path. But i'm there. Map shows me lots of pads. Some good some not-so-good some direct some scenic. I get a lot more information from a map. But i have to work a lot more out. For myself. I started to think about the path offered by my gps. As being like a path offered. By spiritual tradition. It's 1. Many times. Jesus said. Follow me. The daily prayer of the muslims includes a request. Be kept on the straight path. The buddha offered the eightfold path. The baha'i tradition. Is a liberal tradition that developed out of an islamic context in persia in the 1800's. Their sacred writing fills many books. I was told that i would find. Those writing. Completely consistent with my. Experience of the natural world. Why then i ask do i need to read the text. And the person i was speaking with said. Doll out for yourself if you want. But really it's much easier to read the book. I could nap my own route. Really it's easier to turn on my gps. Perhaps. Which navigational tools we use. Depends in part on what kind of journey. We are on. Sometimes i want the scenic route. Sometimes i just want to get there. Sometimes i want the big picture and a sense of adventure. And sometimes i want the comfort. Traveling tried-and-true path. That others have traveled before. This is true in the physical world. And it's 2 in the spiritual world as well. I began to wonder. If this is part of the reason why sometimes. People who have been enjoying. The map of many towns that is available in liberal religion like hours. Sometimes people find it in terms of prices they gravitate. Back to the more orthodox childhood. But they come from. When i'm in crisis. I don't want challenges and new adventures. I have enough of those. Right here my heart that is in so much pain. And do you know can you tell me how to make that pain go away. Can you eat. Sometimes a person. And they need. Lure. Sienna vista. They need to turn off the gps and get out the map. Or the atlas. There are lots of tools. It's think about it what would be the spiritual equivalent. Some of our other travel tools. Travel agents. Guidebooks. An array of online 2. Tools now. Package tours. Hired guides visitors deaths in signs along the way. And of course one of the things we gather for. The tale. Are traveling can. That we meet. On the way. So many ways to travel. So many tools for our journey so many paths. Different tools. Four different journeys different paths for different days. So perhaps. Perhaps my role as a minister. Perhaps you are role as a congregation. It's to help connect people. To the pav. And the tools. That are right for them. And to inspire and encourage them. To take. The first. Story. From the early buddhist tradition. In the city of service. In northern india. The buddha had a large center. Which people would come to meditate and listen to his dharma talks. Every evening one man would come to hear his discourses. For years he came to listen to the buddha but never put any of the practices. Teachings into practice. After a few years. One evening this man came a little earlier. And found the buddha alone. He approached him. And said. Sir. I have a question. Keeps arising. Raising doubts. Oh there should be no doubts on the path of dharma. Have them clarified. What is your question. Surfer many years now i have been coming to your meditation. And i have noticed that there are a large number of recluses or. Mumps. And none. And a still larger number of late. Both men and women. For years some of them have been coming to you. Some of them i can see. Have certainly reached the final stage. Quite obviously they are fully liberated. I can also see that others have experienced some change in their lying. They are partially live. But sir. I also noticed that a large number of. Including myself. Horas de were. Or sometimes they are. And worse. They have not changed at all. Or have not changed for the better. Why should this be sir. People come to you such a great man. Fully enlightened. Such a powerful compassionate person. Why don't you use your power and compassion to liberate them all. So where do you live what is your native place. Syrup. I live here instead of austin. Capital city of the state of kassala. Yes but your facial features show that you are not from this part of the country. Where are you from originally. Sir. I'm from the city of rochester. The capital of the state of montana. I came and settle here instead of ostia few years ago. And have you severed all connections with rodger 3. I still have relatives there have friends there i have business there. Then certainly you must. Go from shruggie stuff. Many times i visit rugged riha. Having traveled in return so many times on the path from here. Certainly you must know the path of every well. I might also say that even if i was blindfolded i could find a path to rodger griha. So many times i've walked it. And your friends. Those who know you well certainly they must know that you are from rodger and that you have settled here. They must know that you often visit russia peahen return and let you know the path from here to rosewood rehab perfectly. All those who are close to me that i offered and then i know the path perfect. Then it must happen. That's some of them come to you and ask you to explain to them the path. From here to raja kriha. Do you hide anything. Or do you explain the path to them clearly. I explained to them as clearly as i can. You start walking toward the east. And then head towards pandora. And continue on with until you reach gaia and then route 23 ha. I explained it very plainly to them sir. At least. Do all of them reach recipe. Those who walk the entire path to attend. Only they. Will reach. Project. This is what i want to explain to you. People keep coming to me knowing that this is someone who is walk the path from nirvana and sonos it perfectly, they asked me. What is the path to nirvana to liberation. And what is there to hide i spray. This is the path. If someone just his head and says. Well said well said a very good pass. But i won't take a step on it but i won't take any trouble to walk over it. Then how can such a person reach the final goal. I do not carry anyone on my shoulder to the final goal. Nobody can carry anyone else to the final goal. Atmos with love and compassion one can say. Well this is the past and this is how i have walked on it. You also work you also walk you also will reach the final goal. But each person has to walk for himself. Has to take every step on the path himself. She was taking one step on the path is one step nearer the goal. He was taking 100 steps is 100 steps near the goal. He was taking all the steps on the path has reached the final goal. You have to walk. The path. Yourself. There are many. Journeys to take and many paths to be explored. In our liberal religious tradition we honor many paths. And nanny forms of exploration. We recognize the value of the individual journey and yet. And yet we come together to share our experiences. Our knowledge to offer sustenance. And support. Our paths may be different. Our tools as well. Our guides and even our destinations. Mayberry. And yet we come together. Together in our common humanity. To build a spiritual community. That changes lives. One step. At a time. Please join me. In a moment of reflection.

uufvb_org

2015Feb15Sermon32.mp3

Good morning. Welcome to the unitarian universalist fellowship of vero beach my name is bonnie shelton. I'm a member of this community and we welcome do we're so glad you decided to join us this morning. We are congregation of. Open minds loving hearts and helping hands. People who. Try to become our best selves. Even as we work together to make a better world. Please know that you are welcome here no matter how you come to us this morning. Whether you are young or old gay or straight black or white. Or some other marvelous shade of humanity. Whether you're on top of the world or down in the dumps or somewhere in between. You're welcome here. We hope you will find this service meaningful and enriching and giving you something this morning that will nourish your spirit and feed your soul and prepare you to have a successful week ahead. Good morning. Eye-opening words this morning are in the form of a wish for all of you. This is from a celtic blessing. I wish you not a path devoid of clouds. Lorelei. A bed of roses. Not that you might never need regret. Nor that you should never feel pain. No that is not my wish. For you. My wish for you is. That you might be breathe in times of trial. When others lake crosses upon your shoulders. When mountains must decline when chasms to be crossed. When hope. In scarce. Shein. Through. That the spirit with which you were born. Mike groh. Along with you. And let you give the gift gift of joy to all who care for you. That you may always have a friend who is worth that name. Whom you can trust. And who helps you in times of sadness. It will defy the storms of daily life. That you are shy. One more wish i have for you. That in every hour of joy and pain. You may feel the spirit of the divine close to. This. Is my wish for you. And all who care for you. This is my hope for you. Now. And forever. Namaste. And happy day after valentine's day. Pete has asked me to do this reading it's an excerpt from an address by columnist george will at washington university in 2012. Will says quote. There are two separate and related questions that are pertinent to any converse consideration of the role of religion in american politics. Is it a fact that the success of democracy meaning self-government requires of religious background. Religious people governing themselves by religious norms. The other is a question of logic. Does belief in america's distinctive democracy. A democracy with clear limits defined by the natural rights of the governed. Entail religious belief. Regarding the empirical question religion has been and can still be supremely important and helpful to the flourishing of our democracy. Is it though necessary for good citizenship. Regarding the question of our government's logic. Does the idea of natural rights require a religious foundation. Will continues. It is beautifully paced that natural rights are especially firmly grounded when they are grounded in religious doctrine. In both cases then the answer is that religion is helpful and important. But not quite essential. And this view of the matter is neither hypocritical nor self-contradictory precisely because. A tradition that has always marked out a division of labor between the institutions of politics and those of civil society. Including especially those of religion. Religious institutions play a crucial role in sustaining our limited government. Shapers of citizens. And as limiting counterpart to the state. That is why citizens concerned for our limited government. Should be friendly to the cause of american religion even if they are not believers themselves. Concludes the observations of columnist george will. Play first of all give you a quote from a thesis by jason moyer on the use of god language. My present. He said. Presidents may use guide language. Strategically. To garner support for their political actions. But when they do so. The american public. Used to read that god language as having a real feel logical dimension. So. The public is saying to themselves. You use god language. You are a religious person. Those who say presidential use of god languages for effects only. Don't seem to recognize. What the public. Seems to be perceiving. Now this sermon is about religion. And its influence. On some of the most influential presidents in history. I've told over about a half a dozen different listings of the most influential presidents from all sorts of viewpoint. And out of those dozen presidents. I've narrowed the list down to six. That i wish to explore a little bit. For the combination of their influence on the nation. On them. I was hugely tempted. To include richard nixon. In that list. Influence. Public front about being religious. But evangelicals would later on express disappointment in shock. At the nixon portrayed in the white house tape quote april payne. And vindictive man. The reverend pat robertson for example demand. The nixon apologize to americans christians. So he said in 1974 were quote the victims of a cruel hoax. In my mind. Nixon. Had the most influence on the negative perception of the office of president than any other president in his. That whose influence is largely responsible for today's feeling of distrust. Any president. And why many commentator today feel it's okay to discard civility. When discussing the person. Holding the title. Do i know. That my list will probably not agree with others but. That's it. The ones i have chosen or an order of most influential. According to all those list. Abraham lincoln. Thomas jefferson. Woodrow wilson. Theodore roosevelt. George washington. John f kennedy. Let's start with the president who had the most impact influence in terms of religion. And that was john fitzgerald kennedy. His catholic faith was perceived as a strong negative. In that presidential election. So he addressed the issue head-on. In a speech before the american society of newspaper editors he said. Are we going to. To the world. That could be elected mayor of dublin. A protestant could be chosen foreign minister of france. A muslim can be elected to the israeli parliament. But a catholic. President of the united states. Are we going to admit to the world or worst. That one third of the american people forever barred. From the white house. The president kennedy. Really articulate what he felt. He said. Football this year it may be a catholic. In other years it has been and may someday be again a jew. A quaker. Or a unitarian. That's what he said. Any wound up. Today i may be the victim. But tomorrow it may be you. Until the whole fabric of our harmonious society is ripped. At a time of great national peril. Kennedy spoke out strongly against religious intolerance. Which he said diluted. The good works of religion. The kennedys influence quote not only created an opening for catholics to run for high office but it opened the door for religion to be part of the political discourse. With the election of president kennedy religion had come front-and-center. And that has really loud other roman catholics running for high office like geraldine ferraro for vice president. In 84. John kerry for president in 2004. Anna mormon mitt romney for president in 2012. And it has led to a muslim being elected to congress. Carefully. Play down god language. His other major influenced elevation. He's the one that set us on the path to the moon. Abraham lincoln. He was god language frequently. However. His lifelong friend and executor judge david davis said of lincoln quote he had no faith in the christian sense of the term. Even though he was perceived. As devout. His biographer colonel damone. Intimately acquainted with him in illinois and with him during all the years that he lived wash. Says never in all that time did he let fall from his lips or his pain and expression which remotely implied the slightest faith in jesus as the son of god. Both lamon and william henderson published biographies of their former colleague after his assassination. Relating their personal recollections of him. Each denied lincoln's adherents to christianity. And characterize his religious beliefs as. Deist. We're skeptical. In the book lincoln the life of purpose and power written and published in 2006. Richard karr borden ave oxford university highlights lincoln's considerable ability. Rally evangelical northern flag by nourishing the belief. Historian allen guelzo notes. This was. Coming from a man who had been suspected of agnosticism or atheism for most of his life. Yep by the end while still a religious skeptic. Lincoln to. Seem to equate the preservation of the union. And the freeing of the slaves. With some higher mystical purpose. As a young man. Lincoln enjoyed reading the works of dia such as thomas paine. He drafted a pamphlet. Incorporating such ideas nonetheless. After charges of hostility to christianity almost cost him congregational bid he kept his unorthodox. Views. Private. James adam. Labeled lincoln. Asmodeus. So president lincoln. Did so frequently using god language. And had strong beliefs. But not necessarily. In the christian tradition. Let us know turn our attention to thomas jefferson. The president who took the bible and literally cut out portions. But he disagreed with. And he pasted one together for his personal use. Jefferson described many passages of the bible as quote. So much on proof charlotte. End of the same letter jefferson states that he is separating quote the gold. From the dross. Jefferson used certain passages of the new testament to compose what is known as the life and morals of jesus of nazareth. Which excluded any of the miracle. And stressed. Is moral message. This work was published after his death. And became known as. The jefferson bible. Jefferson was most closely connected with unitarianism. And the religious philosophy of christian deism. Let me pause a moment and define that. A disbelief. That jesus was the son of god. W at the same time being sympathetic and the moral precepts. How christianity. Jefferson considered the religion of christianity as having and i quote the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which is ever been offered to man. In private letters. Jefferson variously refers to himself as. A christian. To myself. An epicurean. A materialist. And a universal this by myself. So in true you fashion he was an individual. As the principal author of the united states declaration of independence jefferson articulated a statement about human rights said most americans regard his. Nearly sacred. Together with james madison. Jefferson also carried on. Long and successful campaign against churches in virginia. It was virginia's harassment by baptist preacher. Then hopefully jefferson statue. Of religious freedom. It is jefferson who created the phrase a wall of separation. Between church. And state. In his 1802 letter. The danbury baptists. Of connecticut. Throughout his administration. Jefferson permitted church services. In the executive branch. Which word acceptable to him because there were non-discriminatory and voluntary and because he believed that religion was. Any important. Part. Of the support for republican government. Remember when we started i talked about the use of god language by president. He asserted that civil rights have no dependents. And that the opinions of man are not the concern of civil government. And that became one of the american charters of freedom. So was jefferson religious. Oh yes. Now what are the most overtly. Christian president was woodrow wilson. No wonder we're going to develop man his entire life minnifield that his faith. Guided his political positions and actions most notably. His hope that the world would ultimately move toward total peace. He once said. My life would not be worth living. If it were not for the driving power over the. For faith. Jordans. I have seen all my life the arguments against it. Without ever having been moved by them. Never for a moment. If i had one doubt. About my. Ridiculous. But wilson called for religious acceptance. Intolerance of the disparate belief systems that straddled his land. Quote it does not become a miracle. Dead within her borders. Where every man is free to follow the dictates of his conscience. Men should raise the cry of church against church. To do that. Used to strike at the very spirit and heart. Of america. Wilson who had pursued the plan to unite once and for all the nations of the world. Presented the framework of the league of nations. The precursor. To the united night. This was presented to representatives of. At versailles in france. Unfortunately. Once he secured the support of many of those international bodies. He failed to convince the us congress who voted against joining. It was an embarrassing. And demoralizing blow. Do wilson's presidents. It did though successfully pass a law creating the 8-hour workday. In that sense. He carried the torch. For the working man. A cause that modern-day democrats still champion today. The quiet god-fearing academic ranks among the presidential race. For wikipedia. President herbert hoover in a tribute to woodrow wilson said. Three qualities dude out for woodrow wilson. He was more than just an idealist he was the personification of the heritage of idealism of the american people. Brought spiritual concepts to the peace. Table. He was a born crusader. Woodrow wilson. Is among america's more controversial presidents but consistently. Ranks very high on the list of the most fondly remember. He was one who leaned heavily on his faith. Without insisting. That other. Adhere. To his. Brandon. Hard-charging teddy. Theodore roosevelt. He was a member of the dutch reformed church. In washington first went to the episcopal church on becoming president he found quote a little obscure red brick building tucked away on the back of a lot and i immediately. Is my church. Furthermore roosevelt was involved with an episcopalian denomination in brazil during his travels to that country. And by the time he had largely retired from public life and oyster bay long island he was a regular attendee with his wife and an episcopal church there. The christchurch of oyster bay and they still distros avail as one of their former parishioners. The roosevelt. Defender. Of religious freedom and tolerance. Even during a time when bigotry of all kinds. Was much more widely accepted. During the 1908 presidential campaign roosevelt supported william taft. But some former roosevelt supporters did not agree with that. One letter writer applying because of taft family connections to the catholic church. He would not make a good candidate den roosevelt road back to discriminate. I guess they thoroughly upright citizen because he belongs to some particular church. Or because like abraham lincoln he has not allowed his allegiance to any church. Is an outrage. I guess the liberty of conscience. Which is one of the foundations. American life. Roosevelt. Had the square deal of fairness to the common man. The huge expansion of national parks in florida. In the panama canal to his credit. Any led the way to breaking up mini business. From his autobiography. Recognition of individual character has the most important of all factors does not mean failure. To fully recognize. That we must have good laws. And that we must have our best men at office. To enforce these laws. Roosevelt was taking christian teachings. And relating them to government. Without the use of a lot of god language. In the process. So let us know finally take a look at. Legend of the president frequently referred to as the father of our country. George washington. Washington's personal diaries indicate that he did not regularly attend services while home in mount vernon. Biographer paula chesterford wrote. Is daily where and how my time is spent tells how often he attended church. In the year 1716 time. And in 1768. He went to church 14 times. Long after washington die. When asked about washington's belief. Rev dr. james abercrombie rector of st peter's. Church. In philadelphia replied. Washington was a deist. On his deathbed. Washington did not so much. A priest. Or a preacher. It is letters to young people particularly to his adopted children washington urged upon them truth. Character. Honesty. But said little or nothing related to specific items. A religious practice. Analyst to a study washington's papers held by the library of congress say that his correspondence with masonic lodges. Is filled with references to the great architect of the universe. Deism was an influential worldview. During his lifetime. He sometimes. But more commonly used terms favored by idea such as. The grand architect. In providence. 1790 washington expressed his support for religious tolerance. We're in a letter to the hebrew congregation in newport rhode island he stated quote everyone shall sit in the safety. Under his own vine and fig tree. And there shall be none. To make him. Afraid. Washington also set. It is impossible. Govern without god in the bible. Physicians prosperity. Religion and morality. Are indispensable supports. Virtue or morality. Is a necessary spring of popular government. That's from wash. Farewell address. After his second term. Washington's religious beliefs have been described as sort of a hybrid. System somewhere between strict deism and orthodox. With rationalism. As the predominant element. We wind up today. I've left with a feeling that. All of our most positively influential presidents came from a strong background of morality. And the teachings of religious leaders. Abilene. Something like. The grand designer of the universe. But not necessarily a strong belief in a supernatural god directing human traffic. Sounds kind of similar to you you.. Vicente. This nation was founded. On the concept of what are known as. Inalienable or natural rights. Any person. Granted by a creator. Is that so. Where does raichu evolve. Just like mankind. Let us go forth on this president's day weekend comfortable in the belief that as you use. We hold true to the strong moral code of our 7 principles. Distilled from the wisdom of the world's great religions. And i can bus lycee. With e. Namaste. May the spirit of the divine. Reside in your soul. And your soul. And my soul.

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2010Dec12Sermon128.mp3

I shared the words of bill mckibben with joyce so eloquently read earlier. Precisely because since the earliest days of our religious movement in colonial america this perspective. That was shared by mckibben. Is where unitarian and universalist and since merger in 1961. Unitarian universalist. Have feel logically been focused when it comes. To jesus. In fact the very reason we are a separate american denomination. Is because the early unitarian and universalist. Radically disagreed with much of mainstream christianity in their time both. Puritanical protestantism. And roman catholicism. About what the life and death and teachings of jesus meant. Listen to a little bit of length. To the words of the reverend theodore parker. From an easter sermon he preached. In the 1840s. You'll hear echoes of bill mckibben. 1840. Jesus is the greatest person of the ages. The highest product of the human race. He taught the absolute religion. Love to god and man. There are duties he teaches us far different from those most commonly taught. He was the greatest fact in the whole history of man. His mind was full of great ideas parker points out. His heart aflame with noble sentiments. Jesus summed up all the law and the prophets. In love to god. And love to man. His sympathy was with the oppressed and downtrodden. And very practical sympathy it was to. I do not believe in the perfection of jesus. He said. You have no faults and character. But he was never mistaken never angry never out of humor never deject. Rejected never despairing. Men claim. That jesus had no error in his creed or in his life no defect in his character. Then of course. He is not a man. But god himself. Or a bear pipe on which god plays. And in either case. There was no example in the man. And then parker says. He was not a god. Whatta man. A man showing us the way to god. Not saving us by his death but leaving us by his life. I think that jesus of nazareth. Was greater than the evangelist.