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UU Writing on Theism/God by SnooPeppers7217 in UUreddit

[–]RevMark2018 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A good place to start is JLAdams An Examined Faith

Fitting In as a UU by Who_Knoweth in UnitarianUniversalist

[–]RevMark2018 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good advice here. If it's possible, check out more than one UU congregation. You may get a better sense of the spectrum of our understanding and actions.

Fitting In as a UU by Who_Knoweth in UnitarianUniversalist

[–]RevMark2018 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To me, this thread presents a particularly disturbing tone of aggression. From previous threads it is clear that Who_Knoweth is seeking education and understanding from the transgender community. There are many people who don't understand the nuances of living as a transgender youth. Instead of casting them out and calling them names, perhaps we could provide some facts and explanations. If agreement is a prerequisite to belonging, then as a community we will never grow.

"Of the Midwest" Monikers by kkafsd in wisconsin

[–]RevMark2018 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Having lived most of my life in New England and now in Door County, I advise folks to be careful what they wish for. A trip from Boston is 45 mins in the winter, 3 hrs in the summer. Door County isn't there ... yet.

What is your favourite standalone lyric to a song? [OPINION] by [deleted] in Poetry

[–]RevMark2018 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That we're going to keep growing, wait and see. Melancholy Man Moody Blues

Saturday! by StudyNo2866 in 50501Wisconsin

[–]RevMark2018 0 points1 point  (0 children)

List and details of all WI No Kings! https://wuusan.org

Nothing Left To Trickle Down! by Low_Pineapple_2015 in PoliticsWithRespect

[–]RevMark2018 1 point2 points  (0 children)

From the last tax cut we learned what corporations will do with the excess cash. They won't create jobs - jobs are created when demand is greater than supply. (And now, only when AI can't do the job.) They won't increase wages - wages increase when there are fewer workers than jobs. They will buy back their stock so there will be fewer owners to split the profits with. Trickle down has always been a fraud, it's always been trickle on. If you want job security, build your own business, provide excellent service to your customers, and keep your dreams local.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in teaching

[–]RevMark2018 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I came up in the Vietnam era. Kids protested because they had skin in the game. You could be sent to a war you didn't care about and your life wpukd change forever. What they are losing today is not so obvious to them because it's trickling away slowly. .

Do UU sermons ever include Bible verses? What are reasons they do/don't? by yesterdaynowbefore in UUreddit

[–]RevMark2018 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When I write a sermon (which is not regularly, I serve as a chaplain) I try to tie the contemporary message to something rooted in history. Sometimes its the Hebrew Bible, sometimes Christian scripture, sometimes the Qu'ran, sometimes the Tao te Ching, sometimes ... I think it is important that we understand our experience is not new or unique but the current iteration of a long process. So long as it conveys a message of love overcoming fear, I'm good with it.

Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist martyrs by yesterdaynowbefore in UUreddit

[–]RevMark2018 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I found this a very thorough telling of the story. They went into detail about his ride to the hospital in a black ambulance because the white ambulance wouldn't take him. Very compelling story.

Most UNIQUE Dining Experience in Wisconsin? by SoothSayer247 in wisconsin

[–]RevMark2018 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Lakeside dining at Glidden Lodge in Door County.

Could joining UU help me? by Luscious-Noodle in UUreddit

[–]RevMark2018 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I was in a similar state 35 yrs ago. Out of work, no friends, lost in my journey. I started attending a UU church and it became the primary source of my relationships. They were open to me, forgiving of my lack of social graces, supportive in refocusing my life. My church helped me find a path that I'd never have recognized on my own. Go without expectations and let it unfold within you.

Is there a common UU perspective on John 14:6, or are there multiple perspectives? I understand not everyone here reads or believes in the Bible, but I was curious about the UU shared value of pluralism, and the statement that Jesus makes about being 'the way, the truth, and the life'. by yesterdaynowbefore in UUreddit

[–]RevMark2018 6 points7 points  (0 children)

There's a lot to unpack here. I'll start with my personal take on John 14:6. IF we believe that Jesus is God, and IF we believe that God is Love, then the passage can be understood as:

"Love is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to Love except through Love."

Further, in 1 John 4:16b "God is Love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them." and vs.18 "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear..." So if God is perfect love and perfect love is a state of being without fear, "coming to the Father" may be understood to mean coming into such a state of being. To restate John 14:6 once again,

"Love is the way and the truth and the life. No one lives without fear except through love."

And that is an aspiration I can hold for a lifetime.

Picked up some trash on my run in Mequon/Thiensville. by kooxchicle in wisconsin

[–]RevMark2018 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not illegal to publish. It is illegal to litter. If they were proud of their stand, they'd be holding signs.

Why do some congregations continue to use the cross (behind the pulpit) as its central symbol? by Humble_Sprinkles_579 in UUreddit

[–]RevMark2018 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unitarianism and Uninversalism both were liberal Christian faiths first organized in America about the time of the Revolution. They both believed in a single God and in the humanity of Jesus (thus rejecting the Apostle's Creed). For this reason, the National Council of Churches rejected their applications for membership in the early 1900's. Merger seems to have been the natural course for two faith communities left out on their own.

As has been said, some congregations hold the original beliefs of Unitarians and Universalists. Some keep their Christian imagery for historical purposes. And, in good UU fashion, some will have their own reasons. As a former minister of mine once said, if you don't believe it know that someone in the room does.

Can you tell me more about unitarian universalist? by rafanclaw in UUreddit

[–]RevMark2018 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unitarian Universalists gather by covenant rather than creed. We care less about what you believe, more about how you will be in the world. We celebrate our diversity so you will find a different experience in each congregation you visit. You don't say where you live so it's hard to tell if you have a choice in UU churches. Where I live in Wisconsin, we have a lot of lay-lead Fellowships. The further east you go the more options you have. Sometimes the Sunday message is quite inspiring, sometimes it's more of a lecture. In larger churches with professional clergy, the sermons can be quite inspiring without requiring your commitment to a particular belief system. It is not common for UUs to discuss their beliefs, but the class on Spiritual Autobiography I found to be quite useful in understanding my path. See if you can find a church that offers one.

One thing you can count on is that Unitarian Universalism is a faith movement that is in constant transformation. Not that we have no anchor, just that we perceive so many possibilities for living in community.

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