Ask Alexa: What is the future of Unitarian Universalism?

Alexa: As we look into the future will Unitarian Universalism grow or shrink in membership?

It will shrink because its governance structure is not conducive to the growth and retention of members and its sense of mission is muddled ambiguous.

Alexa: Did you hear about the sporting goods store that was having a huge sale on tennis balls?

Yes, and they didn't limit quanities but did say that it was first come, first serve.

My Kind Of Church Music - R-E-S-P-E-C-T-

Are women playing the victim?

From Sojourners, July, 2019, The Devil Doesn't Need and Advocate by Kaitlyn Schiess

Women and men—on a seminary campus, on a church staff, in many places in the world—are not on equal footing. And that inequality is both structural and exacerbated by the sexist suspicion of or fear of women. When women are viewed as sexual threats, we miss out on our male classmates’ study groups, mentoring by male professors, and internship and job opportunities. Few women seminary students sense a clear path forward for the calling God has placed on their lives, and much of that is due to the lack of community created by sexist assumptions about male-female relationships. p. 14

Comment:

Really?

Have females historically been treated as second class citizens? No question.

Are they still? No

There are more females in college now than males 54%:46%. They are almost equally represented now in previously male dominated professions like medicine, law, and the clergy in most Christian denominations other than Roman Catholicism. They dominate the so called semi-professions such as teaching, nursing, and social work.

So why are they still complaining and playing the victim?

I haven't seen the data on the female/male ratio of UU congregational ministers but the circles I travel in they seem to outnumber males in leadership positions and it is unclear whether this bodes well for the future of the "living tradition."

Hey, man, what d'ya know?

"I know something. I know we're all One. I know it so well that if I'm falling out of tree, I know we're all One before I hit the ground. I'm not going to forget it; I can't give it up."

Stephen Gaskin, An Outlaw In My Heart, p. 123

Ask Alexa - Where will UU be in 20 years?

Alexa: Where will Unitarian Universalism be in 20 years?

Unless they  get off their social justice track and focus on their covenant to affirm and promote their seven principles they will continue to dissipate and die.

Alexa: How do people climb the world's tallest mountain?

They must keep climbing and they mustn't ever rest.

A Course In Miracles and Unitarian Universalism - Keep the faith!

From A Course In Miracles:

T-21.III.3. Why is it strange to you that faith can move mountains? 

This is indeed a little feat for such a power. For faith can keep the Son of God in chains as long as he believes he is in chains. And when he is released from them it will be simply because he no longer believes in them, withdrawing faith that they can hold him, and placing it in his freedom instead.

It is impossible to place equal faith in opposite directions. What faith you give to sin you take away from holiness. And what you offer holiness has been removed from sin.

A Course in Miracles . Foundation for Inner Peace. p. 451-452

Comment:

Back in the 60s there was a common expression when one was saying good-bye which was "Keep the faith!"

I loved this expression but always wondered what it meant. What is the "faith" that one is keeping? If one UU was to say this to another UU what could this expression mean? What would "the faith" refer to which one is encouraged to keep?

In the passage above, the "faith" appears to be in freedom as compared to sin. "Sin" in A Course In Miracles refers to separation from the Oneness with God so we can pursue our own will in the world of the ego.

Freedom refers then, counter-intuitively, to doing the will of God and eschewing the ways of the ego, the ways of the world.

Unitarian Universalists practice this "faith" by living their covenant with each other to affirm and promote seven principles, the third of which is to accept one another and encourage each other's spiritual growth. It is the faith in the freeing power of the path of the Spirit (Unconditional Love) as compared to the path of the ego which is the foundation of the Unitarian Universalist faith.

"Keep the faith," in Unitarian Universalism means eschewing the ways of the world and the ego, and supporting the turning things over to the life of the Spirit and the will of God. Another way of saying this, is to become one with the Tao and go with the flow and accept the integration of the Ying and the Yang. This "going with flow" requires forgiveness which is the giving up of resentments, judgments, and grievances.

Jesus says as He is being crucified, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

This kind of faith in the foundational Love of the Universe is awesome and beyond human understanding and thus requires "faith."

Ask Alexa: What do you put your faith in?

Alexa: Which is better to put your faith in: fear or love?

It is better to put your faith in love but the opposite of love is not hate as most people believe but indifference.

Alexa: Did you hear about the guy who worked 24 hours straight?

Yes, and when he quit he called it a day.