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"Faith of the Free"
-- A "grassroots forum" of information, inspiration and ideas...about the (humbly questing, openly questioning and radically inclusive) "liberal way" in religion...its rich heritage, intrinsic values and growing relevance for an ever-shrinking world. --
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uufreespirit
Site Admin
Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 2220
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 Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:16 am Post subject: GREETINGS! |
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"May we find the courage to live our faith,
To speak our truth, and to strive together for a world
where freedom abounds, peace prevails and justice is done.
May we know the fullness of love without fear,
and of security without oppression. May we hold one another
in the deep and tender place of compassion,
and know that the divine spark within makes soul-mates
of us all."
(...from "chalice lighting ceremony," Unitarian Society of Madison, Wisconsin)
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-- So glad you stopped by! We're doing something a little different here...an "all UU message board" that's exclusively devoted to the activities, interests, and concerns of we who call ourselves Unitarian Universalists--and of that general "movement, attitude and approach to" religion that is variously defined as "radically-liberal," "stubbornly protestant," and "broadly catholic"...regardless of its label (if any)...to its remarkable "heretical history" and legacy, and, of course, its ongoing vision and mission (...and, even a little UU humor).
-- I'm Ron Stevens, a long-time UU now living in the "Low Country" of South Carolina, USA. I'll be serving as the group's "facilitator." I like that term, because I do honestly hope this will be a "community forum" rather than simply a venue for me to post things. (In fact, I'll know we've made it here when I can sit back and watch. ) Again, I'd like to welcome you...whether you're already a Unitarian Universalist, or a "UU at heart," or a curious visitor! I'm really look forward to chatting* with you soon! Please do make yourself at home! As we say in the Southern USA, "pull up a chair and sit a spell!" [* -- Please also don't forget that "chatroom" feature...you can reach it through the "join the chat now" option at the bottom of the main page.]
-- Just a few additional notes...
 -- Some general "use of forum" rules and guidelines are included in the thread titled "Housekeeping," at "Forum News and Announcements." Please take a moment to glance over them.
-- Especially since we're just getting started here, in addition to your general participation in the discussions, I welcome your suggestions for ways to improve the forum. A"Feedback" category is provided for this also -- down near the bottom in the "Administrator's Corner" area.
-- The style and tone of this message board generally runs from "light and fluffy" at the top to "heavier and more serious" at the bottom. That's not carved in stone, of course, but is set up to be the general flow of things here.
-- Again, like all message boards, its success will ultimately depend upon active participation and support of its users. Like they often say about democracy, UU is also best understood as being "more a participatory than a spectator sport." To me, this applies just as much to our "online communities" as our "in-person" ones...so, please do join us in our conversations--and feel free to start your own threads here--whenever you can, OK. (We like the company.) Let's work together to make this a real "community project."
-- Finally, just a reminder that this UU message board also has a companion "Beliefnet Group" (by the same name) that may be of interest to some of you. If you'd like to visit our "Faith of the Free" Beliefnet Group the link is as follows...
-- By the way, I also have small groups going at gather.com, at Google Groups and Facebook. The links are;
-- Again, thanks so much for sharing with us your interest in Unitarian Universalism and ethical, inclusive, and spirit-centered instead of dogma-driven religious faith!
_________________
-- Ron
"Beyond the ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing there is a field. I'll meet you there." -- Rumi
"The Reformation Must Continue!" --- Friedrich Schleiermacher
-->> Have you tried "UUPLINK UU RADIO" lately? You may be surprised! Go to... http://www.live365.com/stations/uuplink?site=uuplink"&"%20play
____________________
Last edited by uufreespirit on Sat Jan 31, 2009 3:54 pm; edited 5 times in total |
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uufreespirit
Site Admin
Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 2220
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:18 am Post subject: A little more "under the hood" information... |
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"What would you do if I sang out of tune,
would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song,
and I'll try not to sing out of key.
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends,
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna' try with a little help from my friends..."
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-- Yes, I'll often be out of key, and our success here no doubt will depend on a little help from one another. What I hope to offer here is a means for UU's and religious liberals to come together to discuss issues of common interest and concern. Although there are many ways for UU's/religious liberals to connect with one another, to my knowledge there are none in this particular format that are dedicated just to UU...so I've decided to start one.
-- I hope we can offer something that will cover things that are not being discussed in much depth elsewhere. In that sense, it'll sometimes be downright opinionated, provocative and controversial. No doubt I'll "have my say" here, and hopefully you'll also feel welcome and comfortable enough to do the same. That's the ultimate goal here...to "keep this larger conversation of liberal religion moving along," even if (when) it means sometimes singing "out of key."
-- Again, ideally I'll be doing very little here in the way of "moderation," but realistically I know that some guidance will be necessary. So, I've just posted some basic rules --mostly just generic stuff)--that will apply here. (If you see any changes that need to be made, just let me know.) Basically, though, simple courtesy, respect and humility are never a bad place to start, right?
-- Got any ideas?  Please tell us. The "Talk to Us" forum-area (at the bottom of the main page) is available for that purpose.
-- As we grow (if we do) I'll be asking for moderators to help me here. Please consider whether this is something you can do for us.
-- Let's work together to help make this an online UU community where you'll always be at home--where you can always be assured that you are respected and valued as a friend, yes, even when you sing out of key!
-- As I mentioned in my personal "introduction," I confess to being a UU cheerleader, an "armchair evangelist" of sorts. My real goal here is to just keep "moving the conversation along," a conversation that I believe really needs to be held (...in this world, in this day). Like UU itself, this is very much an imperfect, ongoing experiment--a work in progress--and I view my own beliefs and understandings of Unitarian Universalism, its mission, etc. in that same open, dynamic, inclusive--and highly interactive-- context.
-- The operating premise here is that Unitarian Universalism is, indeed, a "faith" and a religious movement. Whether it's technically "a religion" is arguable, but I do believe that what we share, as Unitarian Universalists, is very much a faith-tradition and a religiously-inspired movement with a rich and proud legacy that deserves to be continued and even strengthened. What we share, I believe, is far more "attitudinal" and "process-oriented" than it is dogma-driven (e.g. centered around whatever our current beliefs may be on matters such as "God" or "the Trinity)." We modern-day UU's are not nearly as concerned with what a person believes about such things as we are about "how" he/she believes...how honest and open and free was the process that brought us to them, and how tightly do we hold them still. Seems to me that the "spirit that unites us" in this particular "mode" of liberal religion is far more attitudinally-inclusive, personalized and ethically-grounded than rigidly theological or doctrinal at its core. (Of course, I invite healthy debate on this as well.)
-- As I'm sure you'll gather from my posts, I take rather seriously the radical-Reformation premises of both "the priesthood and the prophethood of all believers." (By the way, although I'm not a UU minister, I do consider what I'm doing here as "ministry of sorts"--but only in the sense that we are all "called" by this tradition to be the "priests and prophets" of the highest/deepest promptings of our own minds and hearts.) I fully understand that this is (or at least should be) in many respects a "two-way conversation." This whole "priesthood and prophethood" thing really is a "game we all can play," so to speak--not just the "ministers," not just the UUA, or the Board of Trustees--but all of us. And, we really are "all believers," in one form or another, aren't we? (As Emerson said, we all "worship something," and should be careful what it is that shapes our highest thought and faith and characters.) In that spirit, I cordially and respectfully urge you to join me in this "growing this conversation" --of the mind, heart, and informed conscience--in ways that I alone could never imagine.
-- Again, to whatever extent you can be involved here, our sincere thanks! If you'd like to do regular, or occasional, "guest pieces" (commentaries, etc.), or even longer projects, like the one that I'm doing in the "Special Projects" area...or, perhaps you can help as a moderator and/or co-leader (or even co-owner)...really, anything along these lines is deeply appreciated. Come and join us whenever you can, OK? Until then, we'll keep the light on...uh, the chalice on...for you.
_________________
-- Ron
"Beyond the ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing there is a field. I'll meet you there." -- Rumi
"The Reformation Must Continue!" --- Friedrich Schleiermacher
-->> Have you tried "UUPLINK UU RADIO" lately? You may be surprised! Go to... http://www.live365.com/stations/uuplink?site=uuplink"&"%20play
____________________
Last edited by uufreespirit on Sat Jan 31, 2009 4:05 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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