Why aren't UUs sychophantic?

The sychophants offer high praises and gifts.
Many seek this kind of adulation stroking their egos.

Those who are centered eschew infatuation.
Those who are centered are comforted by the basic.

Unitarian Univeralists covenant together to affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion.
UUs have their feet planted firmly on the ground and their heads don't swell.

Unitarian Univeralists affirm and promote the interdependent web of all existence.
It is in this interdependent web that they find their comfort and peace.

Where is Truth to be found?

Rarely is a person persuaded by argument and emotion.
People are persuaded by facts because they cannot be ignored.

What is, is, there is no use arguing about it.
Actions speak louder than words.

Reality is when it happens to you.
It can no longer be ignored.

When reality is dealt with submission is the only course.
Submission incorporates reality into one's awareness.

Awareness of the Truth is the goal of life.
When the goal of life is realized Love abides.

Unitarian Univeralists covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning and the key to a successful search is learning where truth and meaning are to be found.

Unitarian Univeralists covenant together to affirm and promote not only the repect for, but the love of ,the interdependent web of all existence and it is in this realization that Truth is found.

Justice, equity, and compassion: what is one without the other two?

Haste makes waste.
Pushing the river is exhausting and causes problems.
Coercion and force create bad karma.

Patience and persistence is the best way to proceed.
Rome wasn't built in a day as they say.
Slow down, you move too fast, you've got to make the morning last.

Unitarian Universalists covenant together to affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion. What is justice without equity and compassion?
What is equity and compassion without justice?
What is compassion without justice and equity?
UUs are wise in their covenant and know how to respect the interdependent web and not take any part out of context.

From whence does Unitarian Univeralist well being arise?

If you act like a missionary you will get eaten by cannibals.
Don't get too far ahead of those you would help.
You should take people and things where they are at, not where you want them to be.

Good work can take time.
Taking time requires patience.
Holding back conserves virtue.

Having conserved virtue, there is confident wisdom.
Confident wisdom is the basis of well being.
Well being is the purpose of all things.

Unitarian Univeralists know that well being is the purpose of all things and is to be found in their covenant with one another based on their seven principles. It is the covenant based on the seven principles which provides confident wisdom. It is this confident wisdom that provides Unitarian Univeralists with their well being.

What's the deal with Unitarian Univeralism?

Severity leads to cunning.
Shaming leads to lying.
Punishment leads to sadism.

Kindness leads to fairness.
Validation leads to honesty.
Affirmation leads to generosity.

Unitarian Univeralists become wise in their covenanting based on their seven principles. UUs are flexible,  balanced, genuine, and brave. UUs are humble and unassuming because they abide in a respect for the interdependent web of all existence.

Do you understand the paradoxical law of Tao?

The way to create more crime is to make more laws.
The way to create more proverty is to increase the wealth in the land.
The way to create more envy and jealousy is to create more heroes and celebrities.
The way to create more war is to militarize thinking it will keep people safe.

To have more peace eliminate the laws.
To increase richness get rid of money.
To increase contentment get rid of status.
To increase harmony get rid of weapons.

It is the law of Tao that the ego's positive is a negative.
It is the law of Tao that possession makes one poorer.
It is the law of Tao that the first shall be last and the last shall be first.
It is the law of Tao that attack makes one vulnerable.

Unitarian Univeralists understand the law of Tao because they covenant together to affirm and promote the interdependent web of existence of which they recognize and respect that they are a part.

Do celebrities have much of value to offer?

Those who know do not talk.
Those who talk do not know.

The quiet, content, compassionate do not clamor for attention.
Those who clamor for attention have little of genuine value to offer.

It is a paradox that the least are usually the first.
The first are usually the least.

Eschew the shiny bauble, the boastful bombast.
Rest in the company of those who know the Truth.

Unitarian Univeralists take comfort in their covenant for they know that within that there is affirmation and righteousness.

What is the key to peace?

It is exhausting to pound a square peg into a round hole.
It is exhausting to block the wind and push the river.

Going with the flow brings a sense of peace
Fighting things creates a stress that causes break downs.

The lesson to be learned is to respect the Tao.
Unitarian Univeralists know this because they covenant together to affirm and promote the interdpendent web of all existence. In the Wholeness is an equilibrium which cannot be ignored without putting oneself in peril.

Unitarian Univeralists covenant together to affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion in all things. This wisdom serves UUs and the world very well because it is in alighnment with the workings of Tao.

What is one of Unitarian Univeralism's great virtues?

Virtue is born in a person's heart.
Virtue influences relationships.
Virtuous relationships influence families.
Virtuous families influence communities.
Virtuous communities influence States.
Virtuous states influence the nation.
Virtuous nations influence the planet.
Virtuous planets infuence the solar system and the whole universe.

Therefore, if a person would sanctify the universe, start with one's own heart.
In the individual heart is the seed of holiness.
Jesus came to humanity at Christmas to plant seeds.
Some good plants have germinated and grown and born good fruit and some toxic.

We, now, are the gardeners who must cultivate, fertilize, irrigate, prune and nurture.

Jesus told us that there would be false prophets and wolves in sheep's clothing.
Jesus said, "By their fruit you will know them."

Unitarian Univeralists covenant together based on seven principles, the fourth of which, is to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. UUs have defined their mission to discriminate between the truth and the false, and in their desire to find the truth wherever the search may take them, they have manifested great virtue.

Do we need to get back to basics?

The way is straight but there are many distractions.
Bread and circuses keep the masses asleep.
While people starve and suffer, the 24/7 cable news spew out "he said, she said" to keep people's minds off the real issues.

The blame game is emotinally captivating
Forgetting that other people are out brothers and sisters, we attack them thinking it will make us safe.
The people have lost their way and have forgotten who they really are.

Returning to the Ground of our Being requires that we put all nonsense aside, and get back on track.

Unitarian Universalists know that their covenant based on seven principles will save them. They know that affirming and promoting justice, equity, and compassion is the better course. UUs know that every person has inherent worth and dignity and, of this, UUs need to remind themselves regularly and share their light with the world.

Where does the fee and responsible search for truth and meaning ultimately take you?

The Ground Of Our Being is the Mother of ten thousand things.
Knowing the Mother we are at peace.
The ten thousand things rattles our bliss and jangles our nerves.

Sometimes the less said the better.
Protect the inner core of silence and centeredness.
To engage in drama is to lose The Way.

Strength is found in Groundedness.
Truth resides there.
To this space we can return again, and again, and again because it is our true nature.

Unitarian Univeralists covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. The UUs who are further along in their spiritual journey know that the Truth is found within, not without. Advanced UUs know that Truth is not found in the ten thousand things which are merely a tiny manifestation of the Ground of Being of which we are all a part. That is why, UUs also affirm and promote a respect, some say love, of the interdependent web of all existence.

From what do things arise?

From Tao things arise.
It is called the Ground of Being.
Luke Skywalker called it "The Force."

Tao gives rise to form but form is not Tao.
Form is the manifestation of Tao for without Tao from what would form arise?

In A Course Of Miracles, it is taught that form arises from separation.
Separation arises from projection.
Projections are illusions and are no more real than dreams.

Reality is the Oneness which is Divine Mystery.
We are part of the All.
Unitarian Univeralists call the Oneness, the All, the Divine Mystery, the "interdependent web of all existence."

Like all religions which have the perennial psychology in common, Unitarian Univeralists are on to something.

Who are these people who laugh themselves into eternity?

Most people somnambulate through life.
Some have awakened.
Those who somnambulate live in fear and will die.
Those who have awakened live in peace and know that death is not real.

Most people walk the path of the ego.
Some people walk the path of the spirit.
Some people will leave the path of the ego and turn onto the path of the spirit.
Most will walk the path of the ego until death.
Those who walk the path of the spirit will live forever.

Unitarian Univeralists are a savvy bunch who have learned that life is about a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. UUs have learned that justice, equity, and compassion will set people free. UUs, respecting the interdependent web of all existence, have risen above fear and merged with the All. Knowing the Ground of their Being, UUs have found peace and bliss. Having found peace and bliss, UUs laugh themselves into eternity.

Who are the people who are not of this world?

Jesus said, "Love your enemies."
Tell the truth to people who lie to you.
Do good to people who attack you.
Express compassion to people who hate you.
Have faith in people who appear faithless.

The wise person knows that (s)he does not know the mind and heart of another.
The wise person is truly humble knowing that (s)he doesn't know.
The world does not understand the wise person and thinks him/her a fool.

(S)he is foolish in the eyes of the world and yet some marvel and say that (s)he is not of this world.

Unitarian Universalists covenant together to respect the interdependent web of all existence and that is beyond understanding being an awesom mystery.

Do we control the universe?

The more we learn, the higher our expectations rise.
Dropping our expectations leads to wisdom.

It's not that ignorance is bliss, it is that attachment causes suffering.
If peace is the goal, turning our expectations over to Tao is the method.

The Holy Spirit knows best and will show us the way if we ask.
Jesus said, "Ask and you will receive," but few actually believe this.
Most cling to desires that corrupt one's contentment.

Go with the flow. Whatever will be, will be. The future is not ours to see.
We don't control the universe, do we?

Unitarian Universalists covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning, and while searching, UUs know that Truth is not to be found in what we expect.

UUs realize that we are a part of the Interdependent Web of Existence which is beyond understanding and total control. Justice, equity, and compassion flow not from control and coercion, but from loving kindness and loving kindness is unconditional.

Where is the truth and meaning we are searching for to be found?

The problem is not out there.
The problem is in here.

We can know the whole world without traveling an inch.
We can find our treasure without traveling a foot.

The wise person does not seek outside him/herself.
The wise person goes within and discovers the cosmos.

Unitarian Universalists covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. The wise among them know that this search is an inner journey.

Unitarian Univeralists covenant together to affirm and promote the respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are all a part, and this understanding provides insight into the whole world from where one is in the moment without going any where.

How does abundant gratitude arise?

When enough is enough, that's enough.
Those who are content are rich indeed.

Contentment is the natural state.
When one is not content something is wrong.

Unitarian Univeralists know this for they covenant together to affirm and promote seven principles.
In these principles is the Ground of Being apprehended.

In the covenant we are redeemed.
Redemption takes us back to a harmonious appreciation of the interdependent web.

In this harmonious appreciation not only is contentment experienced but abundant gratitude arises.

Will it be all right in the end?

The higher one goes, the farther down one falls.
The most eloquent sometimes make no sense.
Huge accomplishments, after a while, come to nothing.
Abundance often becomes meager when compared.

The best path is sometimes circuitous.
Simpler is often the most fulfilling.
The most intelligent can be the most stupid
Educated idiots abound and lead to paralysis.

People say things are "hot" and then they are "cool."
With great noise we crave stillness.
What is it we really search for?

Unitarian Universalists covenant together to affirm and promote seven principles which provides peace and joy.
The interdependent web of all existence includes us whom are a part.
Unitarian Univeralists note it all and believe that in the end, it will be all right.

Where does gratitude come from?

The path of the ego is full of the allures of wealth, fame, and power.
Attachment to the promises of the ego have brought people to ruin.

Contentment with the simple things produces joy and bliss.
Wants and needs are two different things that the wise distinguish.

Saying "no," knowing when to stop, prevents destructive side effects of excess.
Resting in simplicity provides a richness of experience abundantly.

Unitarian Univeralists convenant together to affirm and promote the respect, some say love, of the interdependent web of existence. In this, the inherent worth and dignity of all beings is recognized and acknowledged. In this recognition and acknowledgment, gratitude arises which is all encompassing.

Is everything going to be all right?

How does quiet overcome noise?
How does soft overcome hard?
How does yielding overcome force?
How does rest overcome effort?

Two steps forward and two steps back. We have gone no where.

Balance is always there, behind the scenes, working to rectify the extremes.

In Unitarian Universalism we know about the interdependent web of existence.
In Unitarian Univeralism we engage in the free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
In Unitarian Univeralism we acknowledge the inherent worth and dignity of each person.

What more could one want?
What more could be done?

UUs rise above the machinations of the ego recognizing that Tao is the Ground Of Our Being and everything is all right in spite of our fears.