“What Do Our Children Require of Us?”
children are vulnerable, and in their trust and innocence, they depend upon grown-ups. What is it they need from us, in order to grow into healthy, confident, loving adults?”
Category Archives: General Topic
Re-defining Sin
It seems that the Vatican has been tinkering with the notion of sin. It’s about time. There was a recent suggestion by a bishop from the Vatican’s “office of sin and penance” (I think Unitarian Universalists could use such an office, actually–more on this later), in which sins such as trashing God’s green earth (corporate polluters) and robbing the poor (economic inequity) should be recognized along with the usual bread-and-butter individual sins.
I say “about time,” because far more pain and suffering are caused by these systemic sins than by the paltry seven deadly sins conjured up in the medieval period. Do you even know what these are, my friends? I confess I had to look them up myself, to get all seven. They are: lust, gluttony, pride, envy, anger, avarice, and sloth.
Think about it–how does a little lust compete with a tobacco company’s lies? How does just a pinch of envy measure up against a manufacturer of land mines? Give me the individual sins any day, compared to the systemic.
And as far as Unitarian Universalists go, a cursory look at the seven deadlies tells us that this list is just not suitable for us. These are just not our big sins.
In fact, we could do with a little more of some of these. Take lust, for instance. We could be more embodied, more passionate. Can you imagine anyone saying, “Now those Unitarians, they’re a lusty lot”? And how about anger? We like to repress ours–after all, we wouldn’t want to appear unseemly or impolite. Another of the seven we could use more of is sloth. Sloth–what an appealing sin! But Unitarian Universalists are worker bees, doing one project after the next. I know every time I attempt to be slothful, I just become paralyzed with guilt and remorse.
Actually, though, our paramount sin, our really big one, is in fact one of the deadly seven–it is pride. We believe that we can think our way to salvation instead of depending upon mercy and grace. Too often we are self-righteous, disregarding our own moral and ethical failings, and thinking of ourselves as just a cut above the rest.
There is one main reason why black churches are so exciting, so full of passion, on Sunday morning–you see, people who are hurting, people who are oppressed, know know they need one another and know they need God. Too often Unitarian Universalist services can be emotionally dead places, because UU’s think that we are in control (and we are so very wrong); and we think that man is the measure of things (just the measure of little things); and we think that we don’t desperately need one another (and we do), and we think that we don’t need God (because we’d rather split theological hairs than humble ourselves and pray).
My grandmother, who read her big black Bible daily, and outloud, used to say, “Pride is the only unforgivable sin.” As a child, I never understood her. Now I think I do. Pride is the only sin, you see, that irrevocably separates us from God–it is the sin of putting ourselves in the place of God. And it follows that we then separate ourselves also from others and sever those bonds of compassion that make us one.
So I suggest that we Unitarian Universalists have an office of sin and repentance, too. But of course we couldn’t use that language, since many UU’s don’t believe that sin even exists–just bad parenting. We could call our office something like “Office for the Support of the Morally Gifted.” Yes, it’s a euphemism, but hey you do what you’ve got to do.
Too Risky to Keep Silent?
We all have those times when we must choose whether to speak or to remain
silent. How should we decide? By what criteria? Two articles in today’s NY
Times made me consider this issue.
silent. How should we decide? By what criteria? Two articles in today’s NY
Times made me consider this issue.
One was an article in the “Health” section (D1) which
told the story of a physician who thought he spotted what might have been a
malignant melanoma–that is, a suspicious-looking mole–on the shin of a woman
in a nearby seat at a poetry reading. He knew that if a melanoma is discovered
in an early stage, it is quite curable, but left unchecked to grow, it is one of
the deadliest of cancers. Should he say anything and risk awkwardness and maybe
defensiveness on her part? Or should he speak to her? He decided to speaking,
apologizing in advance for being intrusive, but saying that as a physician he
was concerned about the mole. She thanked him and responded that a dermatologist
had thought her mole was benign–and then she moved on quickly. He had
embarrassed her, he knew, and he did feel awkward–but even so, he says, it
had been too risky to keep silent.
told the story of a physician who thought he spotted what might have been a
malignant melanoma–that is, a suspicious-looking mole–on the shin of a woman
in a nearby seat at a poetry reading. He knew that if a melanoma is discovered
in an early stage, it is quite curable, but left unchecked to grow, it is one of
the deadliest of cancers. Should he say anything and risk awkwardness and maybe
defensiveness on her part? Or should he speak to her? He decided to speaking,
apologizing in advance for being intrusive, but saying that as a physician he
was concerned about the mole. She thanked him and responded that a dermatologist
had thought her mole was benign–and then she moved on quickly. He had
embarrassed her, he knew, and he did feel awkward–but even so, he says, it
had been too risky to keep silent.
The other article was on the front page and concerned
the decision Olympic athletes have: should they publicly condemn China, because
of the Chinese government’s support of Sudan and its policy on Darfur.
the decision Olympic athletes have: should they publicly condemn China, because
of the Chinese government’s support of Sudan and its policy on Darfur.
Jessica Mendoza, an outfielder on the U.S. Olympic
softball team, does not hesitate to speak out about Darfur. She has decided to
participate in a coalition of more than 200 athletes who are trying to bring
more awareness to the situation in Darfur. When she is not in uniform, she will
be wearing her “Team Darfur” wristbands around Beijing, and she hopes to visit
the Darfur region after the Olympics.
softball team, does not hesitate to speak out about Darfur. She has decided to
participate in a coalition of more than 200 athletes who are trying to bring
more awareness to the situation in Darfur. When she is not in uniform, she will
be wearing her “Team Darfur” wristbands around Beijing, and she hopes to visit
the Darfur region after the Olympics.
But personal and business considerations have kept
some better known athletes from joining the coalition. Many are reluctant to
speak out, apparently. One young athlete who has a $90 million endorsement
contract with Nike said that he needed more information. Nike says that they do
not limit or censor athletes’ comments. Many companies, of course, now do
business in China.
some better known athletes from joining the coalition. Many are reluctant to
speak out, apparently. One young athlete who has a $90 million endorsement
contract with Nike said that he needed more information. Nike says that they do
not limit or censor athletes’ comments. Many companies, of course, now do
business in China.
So when is it too risky to keep silent? When should
we speak out? I think we should speak out when we have the power to make a
difference. When a life could possibly be saved, or an injustice made
just.
we speak out? I think we should speak out when we have the power to make a
difference. When a life could possibly be saved, or an injustice made
just.
All of us have power, and yet power has somehow gotten
a bad rap–perhaps it’s Lord Acton’s dictum that “Power corrupts, and absolute
power corrupts absolutely.” Yes, it can–but it doesn’t have do. Power itself
is neutral–it is neither bad nor good: everything rests in the intentional use
of the power.
a bad rap–perhaps it’s Lord Acton’s dictum that “Power corrupts, and absolute
power corrupts absolutely.” Yes, it can–but it doesn’t have do. Power itself
is neutral–it is neither bad nor good: everything rests in the intentional use
of the power.
When do we speak and when do we keep silent? We speak
when we have the power to save a life–or even to redeem a situation that’s
going downhill, to the detriment of the group (of whatever kind). And we speak
when we are called upon to speak–because of time and place and historical
moment–to right a wrong or to remove one of the claims of
injustice.
when we have the power to save a life–or even to redeem a situation that’s
going downhill, to the detriment of the group (of whatever kind). And we speak
when we are called upon to speak–because of time and place and historical
moment–to right a wrong or to remove one of the claims of
injustice.
Yes, to speak up and be wrong is sometimes
embarrassing, sometimes hard on the ego. But to wind through one’s days never
taking the risks set before us is to really not live at all. What are we trying
to do–to be safe? What a fantasy that is! No one of us in mortal form is ever
safe. We have only this moment, only this hour, this day, to live with
integrity and passionate love. Don’t waste another minute with idle
reflection. It is always too risky to be silent when anything wrong can be set
right, and you have the power to do so.
embarrassing, sometimes hard on the ego. But to wind through one’s days never
taking the risks set before us is to really not live at all. What are we trying
to do–to be safe? What a fantasy that is! No one of us in mortal form is ever
safe. We have only this moment, only this hour, this day, to live with
integrity and passionate love. Don’t waste another minute with idle
reflection. It is always too risky to be silent when anything wrong can be set
right, and you have the power to do so.