Time You Enjoy Wasting Is Not Wasted Time

Here is a great article from the UU World Archives: Claiming and reclaiming Universalism

When we claim our full name, we reclaim our best selves and vow to follow the Bodhisattva path of Universalism (or if we are persuaded to become eco-feminist, the Gaia dharma, whereby we work for the salvation of the planet.) Belief in Universalism enables relation and genuine, tender contact, for to believe in universal salvation is to affirm the worth and dignity of every person—a radical principle undergirding Universalist theologies all the way from the gracious God of John and Judith Sargent Murray to the bold vision declared 50 years ago by Robert Cummins, then general superintendent of the Universalist Church of America, when he said,

Universalism cannot be limited to either Protestantism or to Christianity, not without denying its very name. Ours is a world fellowship, not just a Christian sect. For so long as Universalism is universalism and not partialism, the fellowship bearing its name must succeed in making it unmistakably clear that all are welcome: theist and humanist, unitarian and trinitarian, colored and color-less. A circumscribed Universalism is unthinkable.

In light of recent tragic events, I am focusing some posts on bullying. Here is a quote I thought fitting:

“If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have paradise in a few years.”

Bertrand Russell

New York has become the sixth state to approve same sex marriage

The girls recently learned about women getting the right to vote. To me it’s hard to imagine that such a basic right was denied to an entire section of the population. The same thing holds for marriage equality. Why has is taken so long for this day to come? It is telling that standing up for civil rights is a revolutionary action. Kudos to the politicians who stood on the side of love.

The Theology of Unitarian Universalists

This is a good article. I think one of the problems UUs have is explaining to other people what exactly Unitarian Universalism is.

Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behaviors. Keep your behaviors positive because your behaviors become your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.

-Gandhi

An Excerpt from What Do Buddhists Believe? Meaning and Mindfulness in Buddhist Philosophy by Tony Morris

We can’t say that all religions are the same, different religions have different views and fundamental differences. But it does not matter, as all religions are meant to help in bringing about a better world with better and happier human beings. On this level, I think that through different philosophical explanations and approaches, all religions have the same goal and the same potential.

- Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

Who Are You?

Self-reflection is very important to get in touch with who you are and who you want to be. How we define ourselves can vary based on context, but the question is not a simple one. We are not defined solely by our jobs or by our faith, but rather are a glorious merging of all of our experiences. The whole is greater than the sum of all of the parts. This is what makes us unique, but also gives us basis to find common ground.

As we near Halloween, now would be a good time to reflect on a religious holiday that heavily influenced it: Samhain

Samhain: Season of Death and Renewal

The Spiritual New Year

Happy Samhain!