Are We the Post-Modernists????

Hello dear readers.

While in class today we talked some about postmodernism/postmodernists. One of my classmates asked if there was any denomination that would be considered postmodern. I said that I didn't know of any Christian denomination that was, but that in a lot of ways Reconstructionist Judaism can be. In the ensuing conversation our professor said "In many eyes Unitarian Universalists are considered postmodern." I was stunned (although I don't know why I was).

Are we really post-modernists? I've always considered us the most modern of the Modernists, but I could be wrong.

What do you think?

Las Vegas Was Burning! Las Vegas Was Burning!

Is it just me? or did any of you, my dear readers, think of Sodom and Gomorrah when the news came over the airwaves that the Monte Carlo hotel was burning earlier today?????

One thing must be said though, everyone in the hotel was evacuated safely. Isn't that wonderful? All emergency services departments should learn from that.

Been Out Of The Loop

Hello dear readers.

I've been out of the loop since early last week. I'm waiting to see the minutes of the UUA Board meeting which was this past weekend. That should make for some interesting reading.

But, my friends who are members at First Unitarian Church tell me that there's something going on there. They haven't told me what, but I can't wait to hear.

I'll post more soon.

Hey Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?

Hello dear readers.

I was going through a little list of blogs that I try to read on a regular basis and noticed that The Lively Tradition hasn't written in a while.

So.....LT.....where are you? Inquiring minds want to know.

Why Tithing Matters

Hello dear readers.

While I was scrolling through UUpdates earlier today, I came across this:

“We, the members of the Unitarian Church of Staten Island, challenge YOU, First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, to a high-five challenge.” This means, they challenge a majority of the pledging units of First Church to give at 5% of their annual adjusted income.

5%?!?!?!?!? The challenge is for 5%?!?!?!?!?!? This is all we're asking of members of our churches? 5%?!?!?!?!?!?!?

This, my friends, explains why the megachurches are building multi-building complexes and UUs can barely build outhouses. 5%?!?!?!?!?!?

When did UUs devalue tithing? And why did this happen? If you want quality you must give money to it. The work of the church needs money. The facilities require upkeep; this requires money. If you want staff, you must be willing to pay them a reasonable salary. And the challenge is for 5%?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Call me old-fashioned, but we need a new(old) attitude. If you believe your church matters to you, you need to give it enough so that it can do its work without worry.

Bibles Bibles All Over The Place

Hello dear readers.

Since we've been talking about the Bible so much, I decided that it would be a good thing to look at all the different Bibles available at your local big-name bookstore (I'm not counting Christian bookstores in this because they normally only carry a few).

Your local Barnes and Noble can get you copies of the following Bible versions:
-the Amplified
-Contemporary English
-English Standard
-Geneva
-God's Word
-Good News
-Holman Christian Standard
-the Jerusalem
-King James
-Living
-the Message
-New American
-New American Standard
-New Century
-New International
-New Jerusalem
-New King James
-New Life
-New Living
-New Revised Standard
-Phillips Paraphrase
-Revised English
-Rheims-Douai
-Today's NIV

By my count, that makes 24 different versions. What a choice for UUs to pick from. If you were going to buy one, which would you choose?

So Many Versions, So Little Time; or More Than Just King James and His Bible

Hello dear readers.

I had no idea that there would be so much discussion on Bible translations. This is very heartening to me; I'm going to add a label because of all this discussion.

It seems that I will keep having to say this: for STUDY I use either the NRSV or New Jerusalem Bible. I used to study with the New American Bible, but somebody related to me got my copy and I haven't bought a new one yet. I own copies of the King James, New King James, NIV, NRSV and Revised English Bibles. They all help me in some way. And there are a couple that I plan on getting in the not-to-distant future.

My point about the King James version was that I liked it for the poetry of it. I know it is not the most literal translation (King James had his motives), I just like it. And while I think it would stretch kids' minds to have to slog through 17th century English, if an RE program chooses to go with a different translation, more power to them. As long as the kids get some Bible, I don't particularly care which edition they get.

So let's talk Bibles and the editions we like and don't like and why.

How Most UU RE Does Kids A Disservice

Hello dear readers.

I have been asked to elaborate on how I think that UU RE does a disservice to kids. This will be a short post on it and depending on reaction I might post more later.

First.....I think most UU RE ignores the fact that we live in a particular culture. We are Westerners (at least we were the last time I looked). And yet most kids who come out of UU RE cannot talk intelligently about the foundational stories and myths that make up Western culture. Before you can do really good interfaith work, you need to know something about where you come from.

Second.....most UU kids are woefully ignorant of their own history. (I could say the same thing about most UU adults) Things happened before 1961 and it would be helpful if UU kids got a good grounding in that and yet there seems to be little effort to get kids to see that they are a part of a line (or tradition).

On the social justice side, UU kids have no idea that they are part of a tradition there either. How many of them know about the Social Gospel movement? Or the U/U beginnings of insititutions like the Red Cross? They aren't the first Us/Us/UUs doing this type of work and they won't be the last and they need to know that.

There are many other things I could talk about but these are probably controversial enough.

Discuss as you wish.

King James, His Bible and Proof-Texting

Hello again dear readers.

In my last post I said that I would proof-text out of the KJV in my next post, and so I shall. Fausto did most of his proof-texting out of the book of Matthew; I will do one from Mark and one from Acts.

Mark 12:28-32.........
28 And one of he scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heard, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he.

Acts 10:34-38........
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

As you can see, I tried to use verses that carry both Unitarian and Universalist themes. Of course, all this is a matter of opinion, so I'm open to all who want to correct me.

Like I said before, I definitely know the limitations of the King James version of the Bible. That's why I use the NRSV and New Jerusalem for study. For poetry, I use the King James. There's something about the thee-s, thou-s and thy-s that works for me.

King James and His Bible

Hello dear readers.

I'm going to follow Fausto's lead and do a little proof-texting with the King James Bible but just thought I would talk a little about the KJV and why it's still important.

I do recognize that the KJV is not the most literal translation of the Bible. The Revised Standard Version, the New Revised Standard Version and the New Jerusalem are better if you are looking for more precise translations. For the sheer poetry of it though, especially in places like the Wisdom and Poetry books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Lamentations, Song of Solomon and the like), the King James can't be beat.

Here is Song of Solomon 1:2-7 out of the KJV:
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
4 Draw me, we will run after thee, the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: they upright love thee.
5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.
7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

Here it is out of the NRSV:
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine.
3 your anointing oils are fragment, your name is perfume poured out; therefore the maidens love you.
4 Draw me after you, let us make haste. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will exault and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you.
5 I am black and beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
6 Do not gaze at me because I am dark, because the sum has gazed on me. My mother's sons were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept!
7 Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon; for why should I be like one who is veiled beside the flocks of your companions?

Now I know it's a matter of opinion which one sounds better, but to my ears, the King James comes off one's tongue better than the NRSV.

I know there are problems with the KJV. I think, however, that UU children MUST be familiar with it in order to understand so much of Western literature that we do them a disservice by not teaching it to them. But of course, I think most UU RE programs do kids a disservice anyway.

Proof-texting in the next post.

Why They Won......or Body Language Matters

I've thought about it some more and have come to the conclusion that all the analysis of Iowa is much too complicated.

Dear readers here is a simple explanation of why those who won won: they both have approachable smiles. And in a lot of areas of life, politics especially, approachability is one of the determining factors in who gets ahead and who doesn't.

Never underestimate the power of a smile. When a person is genuinely smiling, it radiates off them in waves. And if you want a good test of authenticity, have a toddler around. They can tell better than most who is really feeling something and who isn't.

More later......stay tuned........

Here I Am Baby......Signed, Sealed, Delivered.....I'm Yours

Hello dear readers.

I got to see the end of Barack Obama's speech in Nashua today and kept thinking just how important music is to a gathering. The use of Stevie Wonder (one of the best that R&B has produced) was a good idea. People who are already hyped-up will just bop along to the music and be happy.

So let's talk about the role of music in our churches. What are we doing right and what are we doing wrong?

Why We Should All Read, and Know, The King James Version of the Bible

Hello dear readers.

In their comment to my last post, Anonymous pointed out something that I've believed for a long time: the King James Version of the Bible is pure poetry(and the basis for much of Western Literature). And as much as UUs like poetry, the KJV really should be heard more often from our pulpits.

I was raised a fundamentalist. Until the New International Version became the standard read in most conservative churches (now they use all sorts of versions), all little fundie and evangelical kids quoted the KJV. (I think mainline kids did too) And while I now use the New Revised Standard Version or the New Jerusalem for study, when I'm in a tough spot and need to pray or meditate, I always quote the KJV to myself.

So....all you RE directors should push for your kids to learn the KJV. It comes in very handy later in their lives. And it will help them understand just how beautiful Barack Obama's Iowa speech last night was and why it was so moving to so many.

There Is Power...Power....Wonder Working Power....

Hello dear readers. I'm sitting up listening to Barack Obama's Iowa speech and just have to say this (I will explore it more later).......

There truly is wonder working power in black preaching.

If you get a chance to do this.....sit back and close your eyes and listen to Barack make that speech again. (tape it if you can.....I'm sure C-SPAN will replay it over the weekend) The cadence of it alone makes it soul stirring. But then listen to the words. Really listen. Whatever your political stripe, these words formed an inspiring speech.

More later.....stay tuned..........