Inspiration

UU thoughts, sermons, music

Why Do People Become (Islamic) Extremists

LdeG

My friend who reposted this on Facebook commented that it does not just explain Islamic extremism.  Today in class, we talked about human nature, and the service was on our tribe, our community.  Part of our human nature is to want a tribe, community, order, and certainty in our lives.  But when we don’t question what that community teaches us and see for ourselves, we are in danger of becoming a mob of extremists. — Lisa

https://www.facebook.com/prageru/videos/897194363656754/

8 Inspiring Teens Who Using Social Media To Change The World – MTV

CZ

http://www.mtv.com/news/2270448/teen-social-media-activists/?fb_ref=fbshare_web

“A lot has changed since those early days of social networking. Beyond a noticeable reduction of glittery text, one of the most salient developments of current social sites has been their ability to create and connect communities. While in the past sites like Myspace mainly centered on one person’s group of friends (and the occasional Internet acquaintance), platforms like Twitter have given a tremendous amount of agency to users to connect — and influence the rest of the world — on important social issues.”

~Namaste
Cricket

In Times of Hysteria

LdeG

I know a lot of us are feeling this.

One of the most difficult experiences of democracy is to watch your country going crazy, and feel responsible. In a dictatorship you could just zone out: The Powers That Be will do what they do, and your opinion doesn’t matter anyway. Your neighbors, your friends, your co-workers — their opinions don’t matter either, so there’s no point in arguing with them, or even letting them know you disagree. You might as well just binge-watch something light on TV, and wait for the wave to pass.

In a democracy it’s different: We are the wave.

Doug Muder has a practical (and inspiring) 6-point plan.

http://weeklysift.com/2015/11/23/in-times-of-hysteria/

(In the 90s, I was in an email UU discussion group that included Doug.  It was my second church, and in many ways a better faith community for me than my local church.  We discussed – argued in the best sense – a lot, and I learned so much. Doug’s weekly posts now are a great source of learning and strength for me. – Lisa)

2015 Transgender Day of Remembrance | UU World

ChatCZ

“The earth is filled with magnificent diversity of which I am a small piece. May I remember I am a part of the spectacular beauty of a diverse world dependent on that diversity—my existence—for its survival.”

http://www.uuworld.org/articles/2015-transgender-day-rememberance?utm_source=f

This article includes a prayer but also links to justice both spiritual and not. As well as a link to purchase the poster below.

image

Namaste
Cricket

THE WAY OF A PILGRIM Or, How to Save Ourselves & the World

LdeG

So, what about us? You know, you and me, faithful and faithless, quintessential religious liberals. Many of us are caught up today more than most with the questions of peace and war, of terror and response. Us. How can we encounter pilgrimage as our spiritual practice, and use it to help us find where to stand, and how to engage? Well, I suggest we can, each of us, claim pilgrimage as part of our spiritual lives. And it’s not that difficult.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/monkeymind/2015/11/the-way-of-a-pilgrim-or-how-to-save-ourselves-the-world.html

Why Religion?

Robert

In my mid 30s I decided I was missing something by not having a religion, and I found Unitarian Universalism, which doesn’t require adherence to any one set of beliefs. In UUism, we may define God as we decide to or reject the idea of God altogether, as long as we take our beliefs seriously, remain open to change, and encourage each other respectfully along our various paths. Or at least that’s the ideal we strive for in our congregations.

Whatever the cause, I know that I feel that need — to be part of something sacred.

— Mel Harkrader Pine

http://melsmouth.com/2015/11/11/why-religion/