How are those New Year’s resolutions working out for you? The gyms and health clubs always report an uptick in membership in January followed by a downturn come Feb. 1. The mind begins rationalizing, “I’m going to eat that because I deserve it. I’ve worked so hard on this diet that’s time for a diet-free … Continue reading Deadly Sins for Lively Liberals: Gluttony
It is quoted too often: “Pride goeth before a fall.” Yet we begin with pride because it is the source of the other six deadly sins. Gluttony, anger, greed, envy, lust and sloth all spring from the garden of pride we cultivate in our souls. Pride left unchecked keeps us from knowing who we really … Continue reading Deadly Sins for Lively Liberals: Pride
Marsha P Johnson – or “Saint Marsha,” as some called her – was a trans, disabled, and often homeless drag queen in NYC. She devoted her life to helping her fellow marginalized humans to give and receive community care. St. Marsha teaches us that no matter who you are or what you have or don’t … Continue reading Saint Marsha and the Spirit of Vulnerability
Our online service for Feb. 14 is cancelled. Due to current and expected road conditions, we’ve determined that there’s no safe way for our worship team to get up the Hill before Sunday to record and stream the service. This would be a great day to revisit some of your favorite online services from the … Continue reading Online Service CANCELLED
Now what, a series on sin? Yes, if we understand sin as separation. Specifically, sin is the intentional division of that which has been declared whole. It is a dualism gone wild. It opposes the “Out of Many, One” worldview of the Oglala Sioux we considered last month. Is there room for sin in the … Continue reading Deadly Sins for Lively Liberals: Introduction
The past year has disrupted and reordered nearly everything we thought we knew about our world and ourselves. The natural reaction to this is anxiety, grief, and a yearning for things to “go back to normal.” But there is no going back – only forward. We try so hard to hang on to what we … Continue reading Reinventing Ourselves 2.0: Pandemic Edition
Religion, for many, presents one dualism after another: it’s right or wrong, black or white, gay marriage or “traditional marriage,” Jesus or Buddha, Big Bang or Adam and Eve. Yet a dualist worldview no longer squares with the world itself. In fact, to live among nature’s unity while interpreting it dually creates a life out … Continue reading Out of Many, One
You would never know by looking at him that the accomplished Washington Post columnist Nathan McCall had earned his journalism degree while serving time in prison. McCall easily fits our image of the Black Urban Professional. McCall didn’t come from an impoverished inner-city neighborhood but grew up in a middle class African-American enclave that drew … Continue reading Nathan McCall’s Dilemma
Please join members of the social justice committee and me as we take a critical look at race matters within Unitarian Universalism. Recent calls for an end to white supremacy within our movement seem to have fallen on sympathetic ears, yet our past work in this area has rendered meager results. I believe religious liberals … Continue reading Color Blind or Color Bound?
This is the story of Esther, a Jewish woman who could not keep silent and hide her identity any longer. Even her husband, the king, does not know about her origins. What role did race play in ancient times? What can it teach us about race matters? Together, let’s explore why Esther is relevant to … Continue reading If You Keep Silent
