Sunday, November 9, 2003
Unitarian Universalist blog watch.
It's been a while since I've rounded up the most interesting posts from the Unitarian Universalist blogosphere. From the last week or so:
Matthew Gatheringwater discusses the latest in liberal religious orthodoxy (see November 3, "The First Principle Isn't Enough"), and asks: "What doesn't a belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every person support . . .?" I may take this up as the next Philocrites discussion topic later this month.
Tom Schade ("Prophet Motive") wonders why the UUA is spending energy on rooting "under God" out of the Pledge of Allegiance: "The effort has become absolutist — seeking to make living organic societies and cultures adhere to disembodied abstractions." Bingo.
Richard Hurst ("Universalist Sundays") writes a thank-you letter to Dr. Laura about her helpful advice regarding homosexuality. He has some follow-up questions, though, including these:
1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day & age, what do you think would be a fair price for her? . . .
We should probably pose these questions to the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh and the Anglican Church in Nigeria, now that I think about it.
Heather Janules ("The Chrysalis") writes a letter to the editor of UU World — which raises the interesting question of whether I should actually wait to read it in the office! — and poses this riddle:
I am hopeful and confident that the United States will recognize same-sex unions as marriages within my lifetime. However, it is my hope that in the longer arc of history, there comes a time when "marriage" is defined only by the covenant made between those professing love and commitment to one another and not by the State.
This strikes me as wanting it both ways.
Finally, Warren Thompson ("Reflections") does nothing on his site but collect inspiring quotations. Check it out!
Update.
I am now maintaining an annotated directory of Unitarian Universalist bloggers.
Copyright © 2003 by Philocrites | Posted 9 November 2003 at 4:51 PM
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Next: Creatureliness, freedom, and hope.
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5 comments:
Melanie:
November 9, 2003 08:08 PM | Permalink for this comment
Chris,
It's time for a blogroll.
Kenneth:
November 10, 2003 11:59 AM | Permalink for this comment
Chris, I doubt that Richard Hurst actually wrote that post (although the conversation about it he has in the comments section of his blog is rather amazing). I've seen that letter come around on e-mail a number of times, and a Google search turns it up on a number of websites.
Richard Hurst:
November 10, 2003 05:05 PM | Permalink for this comment
I did not write it. Ironically, and misleadingly, where ever I copied it from (and I couldn't remember ...) the fellow who had signed it was in fact named ... Richard!!
My past practice was to put things in italics that I had not written, and I'm pretty good about that when there are mixed personal and "borrowed" things in the same post. As a matter of aesthetics, I've yet to adjust to the idea of everything being written in italics when something is entirely borrowed. I need to find some other way to mark something that will engender the sort of dialogue that this engendered, which is obviously my goal, without seeking to take credit to something which is mine, which is obviously not my goal.
So many competing interests to balance.
Richard Hurst
Warren Thompson:
November 17, 2003 10:16 PM | Permalink for this comment
Thanks for your mention of my blog "Reflections."
Matthew was an inspiration & I've only just started.
Heather Janules:
November 18, 2003 11:38 AM | Permalink for this comment
Just a quick point of clarification about my referenced blog - in my letter to UU World, I describe legal recognition of same-sex marriage as a good interim step. However, I "want it" in only one way - with the State out of the marriage business altogether. Our society is far away from considering that idea so in the meantime, I will take "equal legal rites."
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