When we damn others, we damn ourselves

UUs convenant together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. UUs also believe in universal salvation. UUs eschew judgment, condemnation, and exclusion.

It is written in the Introduction to the 21st chapter of the text of A Course In Miracles:

"Damnation is your judgment on yourself, and this you will project upon the world. 2 See it as damned, and all you see is what you did to hurt the Son of God. 3 If you behold disaster and catastrophe, you tried to crucify him. 4 If you see holiness and hope, you joined the Will of God to set him free. 5 There is no choice that lies between these two decisions. 6 And you will see the witness to the choice you made, and learn from this to recognize which one you chose. 7 The world you see but shows you how much joy you have allowed yourself to see in you, and to accept as yours. 8 And, if this [is] its meaning, then the power to give it joy must lie within you."

Have you noticed all the condemning going on currently in our society? Condemnation lends itself easily to sound bites and tweets. It seems that those asked for a statement and opinion on some tragic event, when it involves another human being, use the word "condemn" without knowing anything about the person other than the tragic act that they have been reported to have perpetrated.

Have you noticed how people in opposition to others, especially in political campaigns, are prone to condemn their opponents? From where does this desire and willingness to condemn come from?

Judgment is an arrogant act presuming omniscience on the part of the person doing the condemning. Judgment is a usurpation of the omniscience and omnipotence of a Higher Power which the judger engages in with a hypocrisy which only casts himself in a darkness fraught with guilt and anguish.

A person with a more highly developed level of spiritual maturity has given up judgment and condemnation as inappropriate, illegitimate, and a form of idolatry. A spiritually developed person laughs as the absurdity of condemnation of one human being by another. Condemnation of behavior is one thing, but condemnation of a fellow human being is quite another. As Jesus said, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

Question of the day

When we reflect on the civil rights movement in the United States in the 50s, 60s, and 70s what do you think is the link between religion and democratic transformation?

Editor's note:

This quote is often attributed to Martin Luther King Jr. and he did say it but it was originally said by Unitarian minister, Rev. Theodore Parker.

Question of the day

How can we have a democratic conversation so we can create a more perfect union

Question of the day

What makes love more important than doctrine and how do we nurture the right focus?

When You Try to Change People That’s Not Love, It’s Domination

By Broderick Greer, "When You Try To Change People That's Not Love, It's Domination" on the On Being blog on 10/27/17

"Public theology is at its best when it creates the space necessary for people of various gender identities, religious affiliations and non-affiliations, ethnicities, and economic levels to be known as their full selves, not pushed into a mold not meant for them. It is being less concerned about finding surface-level common ground than about holding space for people’s unique experiences of divinity and humanity."

For more click here.

Editor's note:
What I have learned in life of 71 years is that love comes in many forms. The form is not what is important or significant, the love is.

Public theology is creating the places and the connections where this love can manifest.

Standing on the side of love is a vision for a way of life

Religion is based on tradition and doctrine. Spirituality is based on experience and love. Which do you prefer?

It might be asked, "Can I have both?" The answer at first, if one is reasonable, appears to be "yes," but in practice love must trump tradition and doctrine every time for an authentic spiritual life. Jesus said that the way to heaven is "to love as I have loved." What did Jesus mean by that?

Jesus came to eschew tradition and doctrine in favor of love and they killed him as a threat to the organizations of the day. Jesus' life teaches us that we can't have both. There is only one choice, and He clearly tells us it is love. You will find peace when you chose rightly, chose love.

Unitarian Universalism has a slogan, "Standing on the side of love." This isn't just about social justice issues, this slogan is a vision for a way of life. The slogan captures the message of Jesus and many other enlightened beings.

Question of the day.

What is the "mighty cloud of witnesses" on which we stand? Name the names of people in your cloud.