Unitarian Universalism badly in need of a revival.

If you have sat through UU sermons are there any that you remember? Are there any that made a difference in your life? If so, how? Are there any that made a difference in your congregation, in your community, in the nation, in the world?

If the answer is "no" to these questions then you begin to understand why the growth of Unitarian Universalism is stagnant and declining.

What is to be done about this sad state of affairs? Unitarian Universalism is in need of a revival. It needs to return to its roots and recapture what was and is important in its faith tradition.

Contemporary Unitarian Universalism has lost its way. It has no vision for the future that captures the interest of the members of society. It has lost its mission of nurturing the spiritual development of humanity. It has been distracted by social justice issues and psychobabble not knowing what else to pay attention to. Lately, the attention of many gifted UU leaders has been captured by infighting about issues which have no relevance outside of denominational politics.

Here at UU A Way Of Life ministries we work to nurture spiritual development in all people and in our communities. The miracle principle # 12 in A Course In Miracles is that "Miracles are thoughts." A quick way to assess the state of Unitarian Universalism is to answer the question, "What are UUs giving their attention to?" They are primarily giving their attention to social issues. This is a huge error. Jesus, when asked about the split between the political and the spiritual said, "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's."

Miracles occur based on what we give our attention to.

Miracles are thoughts. Thoughts can represent the lower or bodily level of experience, or the higher or spiritual level of experience. One makes the physical, and the other creates the spiritual. T-1.1.12:1-3

What A Course In Miracles teaches and trains people for is mind control. On what do you give your attention? What you give our attention to creates your reality. If you give your attention to negative things your experience of life will be negative. If you give your attention to positive things your experience of life will be positive. Your attention can be given to both the positive and the negative. What is most real and most true in your estimation? It’s up to you.

In Alcoholic Anonymous negative thoughts and pessimism is called “stinkin thinkin.” People in AA warn its members against it.

In Unitarian Universalism people covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. What is it the person is searching for? Based on the psychological mechanism of confirmation bias a person tends to find evidence for what they expect is true. So would one want to find goodness, truth, and beauty or evil, deceit, and ugliness?

Today, we are reminded that we should be careful what we look for because our perception no matter how skewed, distorted, and erroneous will give us what we want. The miracle is in our mind’s eye. Jesus taught that the way to the kingdom is to “love as I have loved.” What’s in your heart, love or fear?

What do UUs hear at church on Sunday morning?

 

What do UUs hear at church on Sunday morning?

UU preachers have "freedom of the pulpit" meaning that they can preach on anything they want to. How do they decide what topics to cover? What are their objectives in choosing their topics and delivering their sermons? Is there any rhyme or reason or is it a local decision based on the preference of the preacher and what the preacher thinks the congregation wants to hear?

There is an interesting article in the New Yorker published on 10/07/21 entitled "What American Christians hear at church." which describes studies done of on line sermons both before and after the pandemic.

It is relatively easy to listen to UU sermons from various congregations because they are posted on-line on platforms like YouTube. The sermons range from poor to mediocre to excellent. In rating them what would be the criteria an evaluator could use? There are multiple criteria such as informative, entertaining, inspiring, etc.

The most important criteria is to what extent does the sermon promote the vision and the mission of the church?

The question of to what extent does the promote sermon the vision and mission of the church can be answered only if there is a clear vision and mission statement. The mission and vision of Unitarian Universalism is articulated in the seven principles that people covenant together to affirm and promote.

The prime mission of the church is to encourage acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth. Using this as a criteria there are few sermons that encourage spiritual growth. It seems that UUs are much more focused on social justice and feel good psychobabble.

Given that preaching is the corner stone of worship, and in UU congregations so much of the preaching is off the mark, is it any wonder that the denomination is stagnant if not loosing members?

UUs don't even have a shared model of spiritual growth let alone resources that facilitate the development of it. This lack of shared model for spiritual growth is a huge deficit in Unitarian Universalism limiting its ability to carry out its mission and achieve its vision of achieving salvation for humanity.

Let's focus on models of spiritual development and then see to what extent sermons preached in UU churches facilitate it.

Can your life become a prayer?

Prayer is the medium of miracles. It is a means of communication of the created with the Creator. Through prayer love is received, and through miracles love is expressed. 

T-1.1.11:1-3

A miracle is a shift in perception from the world of the ego to the world of Spirit. A miracle is a decision to focus our attention on love instead of the idols of the ego. The best prayers are prayers of forgiveness and gratitude. When we forgive and express gratitude, love is received and a miracle occurs.

In Alcoholic Anonymous it is suggested, in step eleven, that we improve our conscious contact with God as we understand God through prayer and meditation. AA suggests that we work miracles.

In Unitarian Universalism we join together to affirm and promote a respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. Perhaps we want to add love to the respect for it is in loving the Oneness that we find bliss.

Today, we are reminded that if we are to work and experience miracles it is helpful to pray. What should our prayer be? It should be a prayer of forgiveness and gratitude. We can cultivate prayer to the extent that our whole lives become a prayer.

Do you believe in magic or love?

Do you believe in magic or in love?

The understanding of miracles as spectacles to induce belief is a misunderstanding of their purpose. T-1.1.10:1

People love magic shows. They are mesmerized, enthralled, amazed, and entertained. When magic is used to induce belief in the characteristics of our Transcendent Source, though, it is questionable and an attitude of skepticism is appropriate and warranted.

In Alcoholic Anonymous it is suggested, in step one, that we admit that our lives are often unmanageable and no amount of magic is going to set them right.

In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote a free and responsible search for truth and meaning and the use of magic may not be responsible.

Today, it is suggested that we attend to a shift in our perception and attention from the world of magic to the world of Spirit which is Love. Love is the miracle not magical powers in the world of the ego.

You get what you give.

Miracles are a kind of exchange. Like all expressions of love, which are always miraculous in the true sense, the exchange reverses physical laws. They bring more love both to the giver and the receiver. T-1.1.9:1-3

You get what you give. It is part of the law of karma. What goes around comes around. You learn what you teach.

In Alcoholic Anonymous it is suggested, in step eight, that we make a list of all the persons we have harmed and in step nine make amends when it would do no further harm.

In Unitarian Universalism we covenant together to affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion in our human relations.

Today, we can focus on the idea that if we would have love we should give it. If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.

Sharing is a miracle.

Miracles are healing because they supply a lack; they are performed by those who temporarily have more for those who temporarily have less. T-1.1.8:1

At times one person can help another in need. Should they?

In Alcoholic Anonymous it is suggested, in step twelve, that we carry our message of spiritual awakening to others.

In Unitarian Universalism we affirm and promote the acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth.

Jesus said that the way to the kingdom is to “love as I have loved.’

Nothing difficult or strange about working miracles. Children learn how to do this in kindergarten when they are taught to share. It’s interesting how quickly in the world of the ego we start clinging to things, and then accumulate them, and then hoard them and make our lives miserable. Today, deliberately share something you have with someone who has less. See what happens. Report back in the comments.