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Of the billions of ideas put forward in history, some have proven so profound and of such lasting benefit that the course history was dramatically altered.  Other ideas were simply silly.  In Victorian England, a time period of extreme prudishness about sexual behavior, books written by women could not be placed on library bookshelves next to books written by men……unless the two authors were married.  In seventeenth century Europe, high heeled shoes were invented for wealthy men – so they could physically announce their supposed superiority.  In ancient Egypt, prospective brides were jailed if it was shown that their makeup disguised facial imperfections from potential husbands.   And, during Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” to drugs campaign, millions of pencils were distributed to high school students with the motto “Too Cool to Do Drugs” printed on their sides.  As with many silly ideas, this one ended badly.  Students avidly used the pencils – but the more they were sharpened down, the motivational message on them soon became “Cool to Do Drugs” and, eventually, “Do Drugs.”

My message series this month will focus on three powers I believe are necessary for creating lasting change in ourselves, our Community or the world.  The power of ideas, of character and of action sound like standard ways to succeed – but there is an ironic truth about each power that challenges us to move beyond prevailing thinking.  

About sixty years ago the philosopher Thomas Kuhn coined the phrase “paradigm shift” to define a moment in time when the worldview fundamentally changes because of a new idea.  Without ideas, progress is not achieved, change does not happen and human development stops.  The power of ideas is in their unique ability to initiate change.  As much as we might believe that brute strength, wealth or bombastic speech causes change, such abilities are nowhere as powerful as a simple, but profoundly innovative idea. 

Imagine what the world would be like today had not a physicist in 1989, Tim Berners-Lee, lamented that research was inadequately disseminated between scientists?  Those working in one lab or university were often unaware of developments discovered in others – even in labs nearby.  He put forward the idea of computer to computer communication – a network to allow scientists access to research stored on computers at multiple locations.  The internet was born and it has proven to be so monumentally significant that humanity will never again be the same.

Indeed, ideas such as farming, Newton’s mathematical principles of gravity, Einstein’s theory of relativity, Darwin’s ideas on natural selection, Enlightenment concepts of human rights, vaccinations as a way to prevent disease and even the health benefits of soap – these ideas have changed history.  No King, army or demagogic Presidential candidate has achieved as much.

The history of spirituality has been much the same.  As an idea, spirituality has been around since the earliest days of human evolution.  Ancient spirituality helped make sense of a chaotic natural world.  Early humans held ideas that natural things are governed by gods who must be kept happy.  As humans moved from small clans to larger cities, spiritual ideas and gods became more complex.  Powerful gods allowed societies to exert control over their citizens and that initiated greater progress.  Eventually, so-called universal religions developed which were specifically intended not just for one nation, but to be spread to people everywhere.  Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism are such religions and each has had deep impacts on history.

Within the last two hundred years, a response to those religions has developed.  Exploring other religions is a hallmark of contemporary spirituality.  That involves an inner search for meaning which relies on personal experience and reason.  This new spiritual idea acknowledges an ultimate unknown reality but the emphasis is on improving present day life through humanist ethics of compassion, tolerance, patience and harmony.  For many of us who subscribe to such spirituality, it is a hopeful idea – one that is not divisive but instead inclusive – and one that sees a realm of goodness right now and not in some unknown afterlife.

  For each spiritual idea, human society was altered.  Religious ideas have helped initiate social growth allowing for ever larger groups of people to live in common cause. 

What is true about science and spirituality, however, is that the power of ideas lies in the concept that no idea should be fixed.  It’s not just the novelty of a new theory or invention that has power.  Ideas cause change and therein lies their power.  Stop ideas and you stop progress.  In order for ideas to have power, they must constantly be refreshed and replaced.

For instance, as much as Einstein’s theory of relativity was first hailed as an immutable law, it is now questioned.  The continuous expansion of the universe, perhaps caused by something called dark energy, may well redefine Einstein’s relativity.  Dark energy has opened up an entire new study into the nature of the cosmos and it might be the elusive unifying theory that scientifically explains everything.

Christianity, as a spiritual idea, has also underdone change.  The current Pope has undertaken a modern effort to dramatically change Christian ideas.  Responding to contemporary realities, Pope Francis is challenging boundaries of ancient dogma on divorce, sexuality, the environment and the ability of non-Christians to enter heaven.  He’s also helping to initiate a paradigm shift in religion about what it means to follow God.  Is the goal of any religious belief ultimately selfish – to assure the well-being of one’s eternal soul?  Or should spirituality be more concerned about the present well-being of all creation? 

Pope Francis chose as his papal name that of Francis of Assisi – a man who equally challenged and altered the prevailing ideas of his time.  Born in 1181 CE to wealthy parents, Assisi was a playboy in his youth.  After a paradigm shift in his thinking, he realized how miserably the poor in Italy lived – while Priests and Bishops basked in luxury.  Francis renounced his wealth and founded the Franciscan order of monks who committed themselves to the idea of simple living.  They dedicated their work to help the sick, marginalized and poor.  Their guiding idea is something Jesus taught: Those who are great are not Popes, Princes, and the wealthy, they are humble servants.

Assisi’s idea was to build caring communities where each person renounces self-interest to serve the needs of others.  By doing so, he saw the ironic benefit that if everyone cared less for themselves and more for the needs of community members, everyone got their needs met.  Self-less-ness is a powerful idea for helping others, and paradoxically, it’s a powerful way to help oneself.  If my concern is to help you – and your concern is to help me, we’re both better.

At the lowest end of society in Francis’ time were the lepers who were forced to live outside any village.  To get food and water, they could enter towns only at night and had to ring a bell to announce their presence.  Most villagers ran away, hid themselves inside their homes and locked the doors.  But Francis and his fellow monks did the exact opposite.  Instead of running away from lepers, they ran to them with food, clothing, and compassion.  It’s this idea of radical disregard for one’s own well-being that still clashes with the desire to primarily look out for oneself. 

After Francis was ordered to accompany a Christian crusade against Islam in the Middle East, he was so horrified by the slaughter of innocent Muslims that he sought out the Arab Sultan and asked for forgiveness in behalf of all Christians.  The Sultan was so impressed that he agreed and reached a peace treaty with Francis that ended the crusade.  On his return to Italy, Francis ordered all Franciscans to no longer evangelize and convert non-Christians.  His idea of peaceful cooperation between religions is one that, again, was far ahead of its time and it still has the potential to change humanity.

  Francis of Assisi was also an early environmentalist.  Depictions of him show a man who is surrounded by animals.  He spoke about nature in ways similar to native-Americans – the fire, moon, forests and animals are our sisters and brothers.  We must therefore care for them and tend to their well-being.

Francis’ ideas were spiritually revolutionary for his time – as they still are today. The modern Pope Francis has reminded the world of those old and yet new ideas which hold the promise to fundamentally alter society – if humanity would only heed their goodness.  If we serve others at least as much as we serve ourselves, if we are truly tolerant of people who are different from us, if we cherish and tend the environment, the world will be better and, as I’ve said, we will each individually be better.

The power of ideas therefore speaks to us on multiple levels.  Ideas promote change.  We cannot fear change as much as we ought to fear stagnation.  As individuals, as a spiritual community, as a city, nation and one human family, we must be creative, thoughtful and idea oriented.  No practice should ever be safe from a new idea.  Too often, it’s a standard refrain in many cultures and churches that whenever something new is proposed, the idea is rejected because it’s not the way things have always been done.  That way of thinking is fear based and leads to the demise of any society or organization.

Being open to new ideas is a way of thinking that asks questions more than it accepts dogmatic answers.  Binding ourselves to any belief which is not open to exploration is a declaration that reason and intellect are worthless.  The power of ideas is, in truth, the power of our minds, spirits and hearts to innovate and explore.

In that regard, it’s essential for us to always question the way we live.  What paradigm shift in my thinking or actions do I need to move beyond safe but stagnant waters?  What paradigm shifts must you undertake?  What new ideas do we need for this Spiritual Community?

I used this argument in favor of our recent merging efforts.  Unfortunately, the merger idea resulted in some members departing, some difficult moments of transition, and some expense of time and resources.  I personally embraced the merger because I saw in it both a new opportunity and a new challenge for myself as a minister.  How can I take my abilities to a new a level?  How can I expand my horizons? 

And I asked the same questions of both congregations.  It felt safe to stay within the familiar confines of our former communities instead of moving to a new place or adding different people to our midst.  While our merger has so far succeeded, many mergers do not and ours certainly could have failed.  Most of us did not allow that possibility to deter us.  Ideas do fail, but, as Teddy Roosevelt said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the person who points out how the strong one stumbles…the credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who errs…who comes short again and again, but who does actually strive to do the deeds…who spends himself (or herself) in a worthy cause.” 

The power of our idea of a new and combined spiritual community was found in its worthiness.  I firmly believe that the Gathering at Northern Hills is now many, many times stronger and more influential than either the Gathering or Northern Hills Fellowship would be alone.

But we cannot let the power of that idea to allow us to be complacent.  We need continually new and creative ideas.  I love the ideas that sometimes percolate up from our groups and committees – new ways of organization, new social justice efforts, new Sunday practices.  But there are far more ideas we can and should pursue: new collaboration with other congregations, new ways to serve others, new statements of justice to publicly proclaim.  There may also be paradigm shifting ideas to ponder that would fundamentally alter what we currently do.

I don’t, however, support change and new ideas simply for the sake of change.  At heart, I’m a cautious person.  Reason demands that we use prudence when considering any idea.  But, I strongly support us being a place where ideas, good or bad, are always welcome and always given careful consideration.  I challenge myself – I challenge each of you – do not be afraid of new ideas and do not hesitate suggesting any innovative idea to our Board, a committee, to me or during our talk back time. 

Perhaps we might treat ideas as if they are like our children.  We enjoy creating them.  We nurture them.  We hope for their best.  The scope of their ambitions are not belittled – but instead championed.  And, even if they fail, we still love them as we learn from their mistakes.

Within ourselves, within this spiritual community, within our nation and world, we must continue to plug into the power of ideas to advance the well-being of humanity and all creation.

I will each of you peace and joy.

For our Talk Back time, I’m interested in three possible comments from you.  Your thoughts on the topic that ideas do have power, OR, an idea that has was a paradigm shift – an “aha” moment in your life, OR, an innovative idea you suggest for this congregation….

I welcome your thoughts.

Thank your comments!  While Michael plays some background music, let us now take a few moments for silent reflection or prayer on ideas of goodness at work in our lives and in the world.  Let us pray for good ideas, that they might spread far and wide, that you and others here this morning will promote them, and that ideas such as servanthood and humility will  change the world as we know it.

In the annals of American history, Harriet Tubman looms large.  She was born into slavery and suffered beatings and injuries at the hands of  white oppressors.  In 1849, Harriet escaped and made her way North to freedom. She quickly returned South and helped guide to freedom her family and seventy other slaves.  She founded the Underground Railroad of safe houses for escaping slaves.  She helped John Brown recruit others for his raid on Harper’s Ferry.  During the Civil War, she worked as a Union spy – helping guide one military raid that freed over seven hundred slaves.   After the war, Tubman was active in the women’s suffrage movement.  William Lloyd Garrison, a leading abolitionist of the time, gave her a nickname that stuck.  He called her “Moses”.  Like that great Prophet, Harriet Tubman was an activist who not only promoted freedom, she risked her life to achieve it for others.

In my series “Dancing with the Prophets”, two of the prophets I’be  discussed, Jesus and Mohammad, are proven historical figures.  While some of the claims about what they did, like various miracles, are not proven history, both men were real people.  But the prophet we’ll consider today, Moses, is an unproven figure.  There exist no non-Biblical accounts of his life.  Moses and The Passover accounts in the Old Testament are, therefore, not literal history but, instead, allegorical stories intended to inspire.

Even so, Moses has come to represent any person, like Harriet Tubman, who fights for freedom against forces of oppression.  His character was a patron saint to millions of African slaves, and modern commentators see Moses as similar to more recent freedom fighters like George Washington.  He is an inspiring but fictitious Prophet – a religious, political and military character who fought for freedom.

I spoke three weeks ago on Easter how Jesus represents the importance of personal and public renewal.  Last week we considered how the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, represents values of peace and non-violence.  Today we’ll look at how Moses is a Jewish prophet who represents freedom.  And the Passover holiday, which begins this coming Friday, celebrates freedom and its many meanings. 

For those who struggle with negative attitudes or inner flaws, Moses is a symbol of change and redemption.  To people who suffer discrimination due to racism, religion, poverty, sexism or homophobia, Moses is a symbol for justice.  It’s in these ways that Moses and Passover honor hard won freedoms of the past and those that still must be won.

The important lesson of Passover is how the story of Moses applies to us.  What negative forces within ourselves work to enslave us?  Are we angry, fearful, haughty, addicted, depressed, unconfident, or unexamined people in need of freedom from those issues?  Is our culture, nation or world a violent and hateful place for refugees, blacks, Muslims, women, gays, or the poor?  Is a modern day Moses needed for them?  If so, is it we who are called to be Moses figures who fight for personal or social liberation?

The beauty of Passover and its Seder celebration meals are in how they call people to remember, learn and ask questions.  The joy of gathering with friends and family to share a Seder meal on Passover is given added purpose by symbolic rituals and foods.  Each Seder food item, the egg, the bitter herb, the lamb, the matzah, the sweet apple mixture, and the wine have meaning and are intended to be consumed thoughtfully and in reflection.  During a Seder, one does not simply eat good food and think good thoughts – as one might do at Thanksgiving.  Instead, Seders are a combination worship service, celebration meal, history lesson, prayer time, social justice reminder and call to action.

During this message, I’ll guide us in celebrating and eating three foods that represent some of the freedoms the character Moses inspires.  The word ‘Seder’ means order.  A full length Seder, or ordered meal, will be offered here by MJ Pierson this Friday evening and I encourage anyone who has not participated in a Seder meal to sign up with her to reserve your place.

I’ve placed on our Chalice table a typical Seder plate – similar to one that will adorn thousands of Passover tables this Friday.  On it is an egg symbolizing new life, a Spring vegetable symbolizing hope, a lamb bone symbolizing sacrifice needed to realize freedom, a bitter herb symbolizing the pain of injustice, an orange symbolizing human equality and, last but not least, matzah bread symbolizing the blessings of life.   Also on the table is a cup of red wine symbolizing forgiveness.

As most of you know, Passover celebrates the events of the Exodus Bible story.  It is common at every Seder meal to recount the allegorical story.

It describes how Moses, acting as leader of Jewish slaves, asked Egypt’s Pharaoh to let his people go and allow them to return to their homeland.  Pharaoh refused.  Using power granted him by God,

Moses increased pressure on Pharaoh by causing ten plagues – from an infestation of locusts, to the death of cattle, to turning the Nile River into blood, to finally causing the death of all first born sons.  But for that tenth and worst plague, God gave the Jews an escape by telling them to paint their doorposts with blood from a sacrificial lamb so that the Angel of death will pass over, and not kill, Jewish boys.

Once it was realized many Egyptian boys were killed, Pharaoh relented and allowed Jews to leave.   Moses told his people to hurry and bring with them needed bread.  Because of the rush, they could not give the bread dough time to rise and were forced, instead, to bake it unleavened and without yeast – exactly the same as modern matzah.

So the Jews fled, Pharaoh and his army pursued them to the Red Sea where Moses commanded the ocean to separate and provide a dry escape.  He used the same power to cause the ocean to drown pursuing Egyptians.

Once they were saved, the Jews forgot all of God’s miracles.   The story says they began to grumble and complain – better to be a slave and eat well than be free and live poorly, they said.   Even though Moses and God hoped the Jews would unite as a pious people, they did not.  They rebelled against God’s rules – the Ten Commandments.  They returned to a lifestyle of wine and partying instead of piety and obedience.  They began to worship multiple God’s including a gold statue of a calf.  Even Moses acted contrary to one of God’s commands.  As punishment, both he and the Jews were ordered by God to wander in the desert for forty years.  Only a new and more pious generation could enter Israel. 

Later, from a mountain overlooking Palestine, Moses peered into the land of milk and honey – one he would never visit.  He died the next day and soon, his successor Joshua, led Jews into their new land.

Annually remembering this Passover story is a command written into the Jewish Torah.  Today, even liberal and Reform Jews honor that command.  The holiday symbolizes the historic Jewish ability to survive countless challenges and tragedies.  Significantly, the story has meaning for us too.

Just as Jesus and Muhammad taught universal lessons for all people, so too does the fictional Moses.  One lesson is embodied in the Seder meal consumption of what is called a Hillel sandwich – named after a famous rabbi.  Combined on a piece of matzah are two of the symbolic foods found on a Seder plate – a bitter herb or horseradish called maror, and a sweet mixture of apples, raisons and nuts called charoset.  We will soon sample these elements.

The maror or bitter herb symbolizes the heartache of bondage and slavery.  Jews on Passover consume maror to remember not only their past slavery, but also the pain of other past oppressions – especially the Holocaust.

On a personal level, Seder participants are asked to remember, when eating the bitter herb, the forms of bondage in their own lives.   What ways might one be enslaved by a personal flaw like anger, lack of forgiveness, fear, depression, addiction, greed, or prejudice?  Passover calls people to free themselves from any personal negativity.  Eating a symbolic food representing the pain of bondage – a bitter herb – is one way to do that.

The charoset, or apple mixture, is intended to symbolize sweetness of life and freedom.  By escaping Egyptian bondage, Jews were set free.  There was joy in that and so Jews commemorate it by eating sweet food the ancients might have consumed.   In doing so, they celebrate ancient freedoms but also ones they might individually have won – freedom from bitterness or freedom from fear as two examples.

Complementing the maror and the charoset, is the matzah bread.  Matzah plays a central role in Seder meals for it represents all that is good in life.  Whatever one believes God to be……she, he, or it – is a force of love.  That force of love grants us food for nourishment, life to enjoy, companions for support, minds to think, and all of nature in which to enjoy and be inspired.  Matzah represents all good things that God provided the ancient Jews and all the blessings we now enjoy.

Like the Jews in the Exodus story, we can take for granted our blessings.  Bread has always symbolized life and goodness.  Placing bitter herbs and a sweet apple mix on matzah bread is a way to understand and remember the contradictions of life.  It’s filled with pain but, ultimately, it’s to be enjoyed and valued.  Love, family, friends, food, wine and our very existence are not to be taken for granted.  Seder meals remind participants to be grateful for all they have and Matzah is a symbol for that.      

To finish my message, I want us take a few moments to actually engage in a brief Seder moment of reflection, prayer and food.  Debbie and Bill Palmisano, our Seder meal attendants, will pass around trays of matzah pieces spread with horseradish and apple mix.  As Michael plays soft background music, please take a napkin and a piece of matzah spread with horseradish and apple mix.  Please hold it until all are served.

Let us use this time to eat and reflect on the symbolic meaning of the food we hold………in doing so, may we celebrate an early Passover, may we show unity with the spirit of Jews and all others who have suffered oppression………….As you now eat, taste the bitterness of the horseradish and remember some of the past challenges in your life – how you have endured and overcome……a health issue, a relationship breakup, the death of a loved one, an addiction, an attitude problem, racism, sexism, homophobia or anger directed your way……Remember also the pains of our world – hunger, poverty, violence, disease.  Allow the hurt of suffering around the world to fill you with sorrow.

But with the bitterness of horseradish, you also taste the sweetness of apples and raisons.  Use that taste to fill you with hope…….Despite the pains of life, we can still find goodness in our midst…….the hope of kindness extended by others……the love we feel from family…..the examples of charity and service we see in this congregation and in many others……the promise that from every negative experience something good will result…..and the resolve we can feel to do something about the challenges in ourselves and the world.

The Jewish Torah says that bad things in life are caused by negativity in us or in others.  But God, the Torah says, intends for all bad things to ultimately be turned to good……..There is a dawn for every nighttime…………a life in every death……….a hope in every defeat……..a Spring for every winter.

That’s the purpose of mixing bitter with sweet in Seder food.   The joy described in the Passover story when Jews were set free can be remembered in eating this food.   But each of us also have stories of overcoming, in the past or present, for which Passover and the food we’ve consumed can represent new hope, new life, new freedom.

What we know here is that our spirituality is not a trivial exercise.  To examine our minds and our hearts, to ponder the great questions of life, to seek after a power greater than ourselves – these are essential tasks for everyone.  By celebrating the Passover, Jews and non-Jews alike  undertake a spiritual exercise that reminds us to always be grateful, always humble, always aware of personal challenges to overcome………….and always ready to act and speak in the cause of justice and freedom.

I wish all of you much peace and joy…

To close our brief Seder experience, I’ve asked Mel Levrant to recite for us, in Hebrew and English, two Jewish prayers of blessing.  I’ve also asked Mel to share with us his own thoughts about Seder meals and their meaning…

Susanne Bjorner

(c) Rev. Doug Slagle, The Gathering at Northern Hills, All Rights Reserved

The Quran instructs Muslim faithful to greet others with the phrase, “assalaamu alaykum” which means, “peace be upon you.”   One is to do this whenever coming across any person – anywhere.  And the one who is so greeted is to immediately reply “wa alaykum us salaam” – “and may peace also be upon you.”

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, taught that greeting one another in such a way is a sign of respect.  It’s also an expression of Allah’s love and desire that. peace be a principle virtue. 

I want to add here that the Quran instructs that when mentioning the Prophet’s name, one should also wish peace be upon him.  When writing about him, Muslims often employ a shortcut using the letters “pbuh”.  For my purposes, please assume I wish peace be upon the Prophet every time I say his name this morning.  In doing so, both I, and you, pay him and Islam our respect.

Muhammad said that greeting one another with “peace be upon you” is a way to immediately put an encounter on good terms whereby no anger exists between two parties.  All meetings, even between enemies, is begun on an equal footing of friendship and forgiveness.  Even further, Allah forgives those who do his or her part to spread such peace.

When asked by a follower which of all Muslim teachings are the two most important to follow, Muhammad replied that the highest commands are first, to feed the hungry…………and, second, to say salaam to those you know, and those you don’t know.  In doing these things, he said, a Muslim will prove that he or she truly loves both Allah and other people.

I find it remarkable how similar Muhammad’s teaching on salaam is to Jewish and Christian values.   In truth, similar core beliefs among most world religions is not surprising.  While most sacred texts, including the Quran and the Bible, include verses which by themselves oppose other religious beliefs, the core teachings of most religious Prophets are the same.  Whatever one might call “God”, she or he is a force of love.  He or she calls people to be charitable to one another.   And, importantly, the God force at work in the universe is one of peace and not of violence.

It’s for this reason that Unitarian Universalism is so crucial in today’s world.  Whether or not people belong to the denomination, its respect for and celebration of all religions is a model to follow.  “One Truth, Many Paths” is more than just our UU slogan.  It’s a statement that celebrates religious diversity while acknowledging all faiths have valuable insights. 

My message series which I began on Easter is focused on this concept.  And I use the painting hanging above our chalice table as my inspiration.  On it, all of history’s great prophets are dancing together to the same universal tune.  It’s a fanciful idea but one that, as I said, is essential to the well-being of humanity.  Instead of religious wars and hatreds, people must seek after the heart of what is universally true and good.  Whether one worships Jesus, Allah, Yahweh, Braman or a science based Unifying Theory, each one is a force for love and peace.

And Muhammad, as a Prophet, taught and modeled those ideals.  In ranking the most influential persons in history, Muhammad is in the top three.  The revelations he received became the Quran and the foundation of Islam – now the fastest growing faith in the world and one that will soon become the largest.  While Muslims see Muhammad as the human messenger of God, he was more than that.  He was a spiritual, political and moral genius – a man who almost single-handedly changed the course of human events.  He was also a remarkably gentle man who chose the ways of peace whenever possible.

Because that was the way Muhammad lived, the Islam he helped to found is a religion of peace.  Indeed, the word “Islam” comes from two root Arabic words – from the world sa-laam and from the word “slim” which means to submit.  Islam therefore means peaceful submission to Allah and  peace with all humanity no matter one’s race, nationality, gender, economic status or religion. 

Muhammad was born in Mecca, Arabia in 570 CE.  His parents were poor and, at a young age, he was sold as a slave.  While he was later reunited with his mother, poverty and his experience as a child slave had strong influences on his life.   Arabian society at the time was highly stratified with a few wealthy elites having all the power.  To climb from poverty and slavery to be a man of great influence was virtually unheard of.

In his youth, Muhammad was known as a person of integrity and gentleness.  He was often called “al-amin” or, honest and truthful one.  That honesty attracted the interest of a wealthy widow who asked him to be her husband.  This woman, Khadijah, was both older than Muhammad and the owner of a successful business.   Due to marriage, Muhammad became a a rich and powerful man.

But his newfound privilege deeply troubled him.  He had seen firsthand the indignities of poverty.  He saw how money buys a better life for the rich but does so at the expense of the poor.   He began to question the fairness of his culture, the role of spirituality in fighting injustice and what the gods might say about those matters.  And so he began to take long retreats into the dessert to mediate.

It was during one of his meditations that he had the pivotal moment of his life.  Experiencing what he called a terrifying moment when life seemed to be squeezed from him, he saw a blinding light and heard a voice say to him, “Read!”  He replied, “I cannot read”.  Muhammad was illiterate.  He heard the same command over and over until he finally replied, “Read what?”

In shock, he returned to his wife Khadijah who counseled him to accept his spiritual experience as authentic.  She urged him to seek further revelation from the God he had heard.  Today, many Muslims credit the wisdom of Khadijah, Muhammad’s wife, for initiating the religion.

And so the illiterate Muhammad received revelations from Allah for the rest of his life.  The fact that he could neither read or write is key.  It proves, Muslims say, that the revelations were truly from God since there was no way Muhammad could have borrowed them from other religions or written them down.  He was simply God’s messenger – a great role model and figure of history – but just a man.  Muslims do not worship him.  They worship his message and his teachings.  It is because of this that they allow no images or statues of him or Allah.  Any depictions of Muhammad always have a white smudge over the face.  All art and decorations within mosques are confined to calligraphy of Quranic verses thus emphasizing that it is the message that one worships and not a man-made image.

Of greatest importance for us, however, is Muhammad’s life example and ethics.  Born into poverty but rising to be a leader of millions, countless accounts of his life – from Muslim and non-Muslim sources – indicate he was a humble, peaceful and caring man.  He lived in a modest home, owned virtually no luxuries and was committed to serving the poor by giving to charity almost all his wealth.

Countless times, Muhammad, as the messenger for God, advocated for the rights of all people – not just Muslims.  Soon after he began using his revelations to attract followers and initiate a spiritual movement, he insisted that conversion to Islam be by simple confession in front of two witnesses.  There must be no compulsion in becoming a Muslim.  People accept their spiritual beliefs freely and with peace of heart – no matter what one chooses to believe.  After gaining power throughout Arabia, he announced that the pagans of his time, even though they had tried to eliminate him and Islam, could follow their religion without fear of retribution.

When he fled Mecca with his followers and moved to Medina, a city about 200 miles away, he prepared what has come to be called the Medina constitution – the first of its kind in history.  Muhammad established a secular rule of law that granted equal rights to religious and ethnic minorities.   Jews, Christians and pagans were both acknowledged and granted equality.  All citizens of Medina were a part of the one community, or “ummah”.

This Muslim “ummah” concept of one human family died with him when Muslims began to compete with other religions.  But for Muhammad, the establishment of a diverse and tolerant community was a way to build peace.  When people of different faiths respect and honor each other, bitter competition subsides.  You choose your way.  I choose mine – but we remain kindred souls.

Muhammad practiced his ways of peace.  When Medina was surrounded by an army raised by the pagan elites who opposed him and his new religion, Muhammad decided not to fight back.  He wisely had a deep trench dug around the city which prevented an attack and thus prevented war. 

Many years later at a climactic moment when Muhammad had assembled a large army to surround Mecca and demand Muslim rights to visit and worship at the Kaaba shrine, he chose to negotiate and not attack.  After a time of negotiation and realizing the popularity of Islam, the elites relented and allowed Muslims to enter Mecca, dedicate the Kaaba shrine to Allah and take control of the city.  Living out his peaceful ways, Muhammad forgave those who had once tortured and oppressed Muslims.  They could continue to live within Mecca and enjoy the rights of being a citizen.  It was a Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. moment of intentional non-violence.

While many critics of Islam point to verses in the Quran that seem to advocate violence against enemies and non-believers, and there a few obscure ones – just as there are in the Bible when God commanded the ancient Jews to kill every non-believing man, woman, and child- the full intent of Muhammad and his Quranic revelations was one of peace.  One verse in the Quran commands that when an enemy asks for peace, one is to immediately agree.  Another verse indicates that war is only for self-defense.  To begin a conflict is wrong.  Another verse literally says that Allah hates violence.  Perhaps more emphatic than even the Bible, the Quran says, “…if any one kills a person – unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – it would be as if he killed the whole humanity…”

In this light, the idea of jihad, or holy war, has been wrongly interpreted by some fundamentalist Muslims and by misinformed westerners.  Muhammad taught that the idea of jihad is a figurative battle within the heart of each person.  It does not mean a literal holy war but, instead, a holy “struggle” of conscience.  Will I follow the path of peace and charity, or not?  That is the idea of jihad which almost all of today’s one and a half billion Muslims follow.  The Quran says, “Go out in the name of Allah and…following the way of the Messenger of Allah… spread goodness and do good, for Allah loves those who do good.”

What we find about the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is that he was like all great prophets.  He was a peaceful revolutionary who helped change the negative ways of his people and culture.  Muhammad, like all Prophets, taught that God did not create people to attack and kill one another.  Nor did God build a world of hate.  The spiritual vision for the world, by all Prophets, is of an Eden like place filled with abundance, peace and love.  Those of us who yearn for the same, do humanity a disservice if we falsely characterize the intentions of any religion or Prophet – especially of Islam and Muhammad.  It is our spiritual duty not only to understand Islam, but spread the truth about it.   Muhammad is one of history’s greatest prophets precisely because he was a man of peace.  We should honor him for that, and, most of all, follow his example by being people of salaam… 

And I wish you all much peace and joy…

We’ll engage in our talk back time today in conversation with Sabura Rashad, who has been attending here the last few months and is now interested in becoming a member.  Please welcome Sabura Rashad to our little stage here….

(Edited to include few direct quotes from printed works.)

Message, Part 1:

 

Good Morning. Thank you all for coming here to be my neighbor. Whether you are part of the

Gathering at Northern Hills, or visiting with us today, we all share the Neighborhood of this Sanctuary, of

Greater Cincinnati, of North America.

I understand this congregation loves to wear ties, the uglier the better. So, in order to adapt to your

traditions, John and I have added ties to our outfits this morning. But don’t be surprised if they are taken off

soon – As you know, they can be a hindrance to communication – especially singing.

This service began when I was assigned the topic “Neighbors” for First Church and St. Johns UU. Of

course, that could go in many directions, but my immediate thought was – Mr. Rogers’ Neighbors. When my

young children were of appropriate age, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood was a marvelous television show for them,

and of course the prelude song “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” was a major aspect of the welcoming, supportive,

creative impact of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.

What is so special about Mr. Rogers? Here is what I remember from our own family time with Mr.

Rogers’ Neighborhood. He speaks slowly and quietly, follows the same routine at the beginning of each

episode: sings Won’t You Be My Neighbor as he removes his “work” sport coat and puts on a sweater; sits

down and changes from dressy “work” shoes to comfortable “at home” shoes. He includes Neighbors of many

varieties on his show – people with different backgrounds, work experiences, talents, abilities and disabilities –

and welcomes and affirms them all. He uses puppets and live actors to tell stories about his themes, and

always leaves us with a positive and hopeful feeling.

(While Mr. Rogers died in 2003, many of his programs are available online. The Fred Rogers Company

has also started producing an animated show called Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, which is about to start its

third season. It is based on Fred Rogers’ philosophy and experience with the Neighborhood – and includes

some of the memorable elements and puppet families of the original show. Check out pbskids.)

When I decided to talk about Mr. Rogers, I was so caught up in the idea, that I ordered 8 books from

the public library – written by and about Fred Rogers. I was amazed at the number of books he had written for

children and for parents, and was delighted with the titles of some written about him. If you need help

supporting your small child in new activities or emotional challenges, you could try, for instance, Going to the

Doctor, Going to Day Care, – or When a Pet Dies. There are books devoted to helping parents understand

child development, and providing support and ideas for each new developmental stage their child experiences

I was especially taken with three books written by Mr. Rogers: a collection of his “words of wisdom,” a

collection of letters written to him by children, and a book called Extraordinary Friends, Those of you who

know our son Artie, will understand why the cover of this book struck such a chord with me. [book has photo of

child in wheelchair grinning at a friend] I will have this, and the other books, available for you to look at after

the service (and the congregational meeting).

A 1996 book of letters to Mr. Rogers is titled Dear Mr. Rogers, Does it ever rain in your neighborhood?

In the Introduction, Mr. Rogers gives some insight into his show and his care for his “television neighbors.”

[He comments about the use of television to communicate, and the limitations it brings. He enjoys the mail

more, because he can learn a little about the writer, although he still knows only a tiny bit about each]

Here are some letters – and responses which stand out for me:

1

[A letter from Hannah says she is afraid of the dark. Mr. Rogers tells her many children are afraid of

the dark, and suggests play, telling stories, or using puppets to help with feeling scared. He says he is proud

of the ways she is growing, including being able to talk about her feelings.]

Dear Mister Rogers,

Do you live in there? Philip, age 4 ½

Mr. Roger’s note to the reader: “That letter reminded me of a time a young boy came up to me and said in

amazement, ‘Mister Rogers, How did you get out of the box!’

[Another letter is from Katie, who worries about Mr. Rogers’ fish; she is blind and cannot see them

being fed, and she asks him to say out loud when he feeds them.

He notes to the reader, that he now tries to remembers to say so – and this is just one of many things

he has learned from children and families.]

________________________

Message, Part II: Our World Neighborhood: the Power of Love

The books about Mr. Rogers are a great source of information – and inspiration. He studied music

composition; as we know, he worked with puppets; and he later became a Presbyterian minister. At his

ordination he was charged with ministry to children via television – and that did indeed become his life’s work.

This television ministry was an expression of his own spiritual values, and many of these values were

counter to the culture of the day. A recently published book about him, called Peaceful Neighbor; Discovering

the countercultural Mister Rogers, by Michael G. Long, goes into detail about this history. Michael Long was

given access to not only the entire run of Neighborhood programs, but also boxes of Rogers’ letters, papers,

commencement speeches, and sermons.

Here are some of Long’s conclusions:

First:** Fred Rogers helped children acknowledge feelings, including negative ones. He stressed that

although it is OK to be angry, anger must not be used to hurt ourselves or other people. He talked about the

need to stop bad actions. His counter-cultural viewpoint advocated punishment only from love, rather than as

a show of power. This was directed not only toward children, but also to adult law-breakers.

What would Mr. Rogers do? Rehabilitate wrongdoers and help them re-enter society.

** Fred Rogers was a “radical pacifist.” The first week of programs was in 1968 just after the Tet

offensive in Vietnam during the war. It was very clear then that he was against war; he also showed the need

to work for peace; and included civil disobedience in his puppet story. During the Persian Gulf War (1991) he

called war “abuse of children” – for it inevitably brings fear, and children may lose the caregivers they count on.

He also felt that peace is indeed possible – if we refuse to take part in war, if we see the goodness in

others, and do constructive things to build a world where no one needs to be afraid of others.

What would Mr. Rogers do? After 9/11, Mr. Rogers responded to terrorism by calling all of us to spread

** Fred Rogers made it clear that peace is not only the absence of war. Long says:

“Rogers had a highly nuanced view of loving relationships, of treating others with the respect and

dignity due them, and so his vision of peace demanded not only the absence of war but also the presence of

relationships of deep love . . . Rogers used his program and other venues to address many other obstacles to

2

peace, such as racial discrimination, poverty, gender inequality, the killing of animals, commercialism, and

environmental degradation.”

Indeed – Fred Rogers was vegetarian long before the idea was part of popular culture. His early

programs showed and celebrated cultural and racial diversity. His stories showed “mothering” and “fathering”

done by both men and women. Regarding individuals with mental or physical limitations, he pointed out that

everyone has limitations – some are just more subtle than others. When President Reagan said there is no

evidence of rampant hunger in the United States, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood concentrated on feeding hungry

people, and featured a story about a hungry goat eating the Neighborhood garden. Mr. Rogers’ comment to

children: Can you imagine how hungry some people must be to take somebody else’s garden? He also

pointed out that everyone has needs – and everyone can both give and receive. People who have plenty of

money, have other needs; those who receive food or clothing, have other strengths.

What would Mr. Rogers do? In last summer’s newsletter of the American Friends Service Committee

(this is a Quaker organization – similar to the UU Service Committee), there was a story of their work in Haiti,

where we know there has been devastation and severe lack of resources – and the violence which can

accompany that situation. It says:

Every Saturday morning, leaders in the camp convene small groups, known as local peace networks, to

address problems facing community members. Participants range in age from 12 to 50 They’ve developed

sanitation systems; made goods such as sandals, bracelets, and necklaces to sell; and reduced violence.

One of the local organizers says: “Before the local peace network activities, inhabitants couldn’t even walk in

some areas,… But because we have selected the most violent and vulnerable youth and young adults to be

part of the local peace network, now the situation is really different. People are feeling safe and not afraid.”

I am certain – this is what Mr. Rogers would do.

** Fred Rogers was a Universalist. He said clearly that we are all worthy of love, and that there is the spark

of the divine in each of us. (Michael Long says of Rogers: Officially, he was Presbyterian. Unofficially, he was

A final quote from Fred Rogers himself: I believe at the center of the universe there dwells a loving

spirit who longs for all that’s best in all of creation, a spirit who knows the great potential of each planet as well

as each person, and little by little will love us into being more than we ever dreamed possible.”

Consider these words when you ask: What would Mr. Rogers do?

(c) Rev. Doug Slagle, The Gathering at Northern Hills, All Rights Reserved.

 

In 1986, the Reverend Bill Schulz, who was President of the Unitarian Universalist Association at the time, commented that many UU’s find Easter to be a difficult and perplexing holiday.  He commented that for Unitarians, observing Easter is a bit like attending a party at which the guest of honor is someone you don’t know.   You’re in a celebratory mood but you’re not quite sure why.

Despite that fact, Reverend Schulz said Unitarian Universalists are learning how to see Easter as more than just a celebration of Spring.  We’re putting an end, he said, to UU Easter sermons that are often titled “Upsy Daisy!”

I’m beginning today a three part message series I’ll continue in April on what prophets from three world religions might teach us.  Appropriate for Easter, today I’ll look at what Jesus and the resurrection story tell us about renewal and change.  In two weeks, I’ll consider the prophet Mohammad and his ethic of salaam or peace.  We’ll here a few thoughts from new attended Sabura Rashad who is a practicing Muslim.  And, in three weeks, we’ll celebrate a condensed version of a Passover Seder meal as we look at Moses and what he taught about three essential freedoms.

For today, in talking about Jesus and Easter, I echo Reverend Schulz’s words that we need not celebrate the holiday as one commemorating actual history – the literal resurrection of Jesus’ body.  Indeed, as I’ve related here before, there has always been differences about how to understand and interpret the Easter story.  Many early Christians believed something entirely different from what most of today’s Christians believe.  In the process of compiling the Bible in 325 BCE, those who believed in a literal resurrection of Jesus’ body won the debate – and it is their beliefs that today comprise majority Christian belief. 

Other early Christians, called the Gnostics, lost the battle over Easter interpretation.  They possessed written accounts of Jesus’ life, like the Gospel of Thomas, which differed from what was included in the Bible.  Gnostics understood that Jesus was crucified, he died……..BUT his body remained permanently dead.  Gnostics believed it was Jesus’ spirit that was resurrected on Easter, NOT his body.  It’s the spirit – the essence of how a person lived and their life legacy – that is what is eternal.

What we must know, therefore, is that there were and are multiple understandings about Easter.   For my purposes today, I believe what is important about Easter is that how Jesus lived and what he taught – the essence of his spirit – did not die with him.  Instead, there was a resurrection and renewal of his core ideas – that God is love, and that people can be like God in how they treat one another.   Instead of worrying about physical death and whether or not Jesus saves souls to spend eternity in heaven, people ought to be more concerned about how they make this world better and whether they love others as much as they love themselves.

The Easter story is therefore a lesson that death may come but how we impact the world endures.  What are our legacies of love and service?  Just as important, what struggles are we overcoming – ones that will be a model for our children to copy?  How are we continually renewing ourselves such that defeats, broken relationships, personal challenges and flaws are buried……….and then resurrected into new lives of wholeness?  That is a primary lesson from the Easter story – the sadness and negativity of Jesus’ death story was transformed into something new and better.

Indeed, Easter is a bit like New Year’s Eve – a time when the old in us can pass away and the new can be reborn.   For this Easter day, how might we resolve to replace sadness with joy, despair with hope, anger with forgiveness, or hatred with love?  What is it in me, what is it in you that needs to be buried and sealed away?  And, in a word, how might we then be…… renewed?

To renew and resurrect ourselves we must first take an honest inventory of our hearts and minds.  What emotion do we mostly feel about life and others?  What emotions lead us in a negative direction?  If we are acting in harmful ways to ourselves or others, what underlies those actions?  Are we angry, hurt, sad, lonely, afraid?  And if so, what is the root cause?  Has someone in the past hurt us or told us we are inadequate?  Have we been abandoned by a loved one?  What causes our fears?  Illness?  Being alone?  Work stress?  Money problems?

Whatever it is that we identify about ourselves that needs to change, we have to move beyond denial and excuses.  That is easier said then done.  But telling the truth to ourselves about our flaws and negative emotions is a liberating experience.  As Jesus taught, truth will set us free.  No longer need we be burdened by trying to hide or suppress any personal struggle.  By self confessing and identifying flaws and hurts, we can find ways to renew ourselves.

There are countless ways to move beyond an inner challenge.  Spiritually, we know that meditation is a huge help in clearing away negative emotions.  Mindfulness is a form of meditation that acknowledges thoughts as they pass through our minds but does not dwell on them and let’s them gently pass out of our thoughts.  Mindfulness then helps build in us a sense of calm because we intentionally do not allow damaging thoughts or emotions to consume our thinking.  Fear, for instance, is an emotion that only has power when it is dwelled upon.   As President Roosevelt famously said, the only thing we have to fear……is fear itself.  Through mindfulness, we can be aware of negative thoughts, but we purposefully choose not to dwell on them as we focus instead on relaxation, breathing, and peace.  In the process, our once negative mindset is renewed.

Prayer, for me, is another form of meditation.  This is not a rote reciting of hopes and desires.  Instead, my practice of prayer is an expression of longing for good in the life of others and in mine.   Like meditation, prayer for me is soothing and a way to renew my mind with hopeful emotions.  Whether I’m angry, sad, or afraid, prayer is a way to communicate with the universe of all things and see life in a larger perspective than my concerns.

Another way to renew ourselves is to forgive.  Many people carry life long anger which has a corrosive affect on their emotions and ways they act.   To forgive is to intentionally let go of angry emotions toward someone who has hurt you.  While one will always remember an offense and it is important to apply appropriate boundaries to be protected from future harm, forgiving another is cleansing to our minds and hearts.  It renews us such that we once again hold gentle thoughts about everyone – even ones who have hurt us. 

Another way to create personal renewal is to regularly engage in acts of generosity.  By working in a soup kitchen or charity, writing a letter of gratitude to someone I know, visiting a friend in the hospital, cooking a meal for a person in need, or quietly listening to someone in distress, I’m able to put in perspective my negative emotions and actions.   It’s ironic, but the act of loving and serving someone else is a path to loving yourself.  It quite simply feels good to act good………and that is a great way to find personal renewal.

I’ve also found that I can re-focus my life by getting outside, taking a long walk, sitting quietly in a garden, or exercising outdoors.  As humans, our tendency is to think of ourselves as above and outside the natural realm.  We live in controlled environments that prevent us from feeling a part of nature.  But when we return to it, when we put ourselves in its midst and allow it to enfold us, we’re reminded of how insignificant we are.  The problems in our lives suddenly become pitifully small.   It’s a humbling experience to walk along a beach and contemplate the vastness of the oceans, or gaze with wonder at a night sky filled with stars and galaxies.  By doing so, by returning to nature and contemplating its beauty, we can find renewal of mind, body and spirit.

Finally, I’m a strong believer in the renewing power of spiritual enlightenment and being a part of a spiritual congregation.  Many of us attend here every Sunday to experience the joys of community and mutual support.  I hope we also attend in order to experience a few moments of transcendence and insight.  Spiritual examination of ourselves and what we can do to improve the world is a way to find meaning and purpose.  It’s also another way to get unstuck from the rut our minds and emotions are often in.  Spirituality, in whatever form, is a window into the eternal – a place that is perfectly true and good.  For me, that is the realm of the divine – or seat of God.   My spirituality is a way to seek that place whether it proves to be a state of my mind, or something beyond my understanding.  I believe each person hungers for moments when they sit in utter wonder about the mysteries of life, love and the universe.  Often, these are powerful and moving experiences.  If we regularly engage in spiritual exploration, personal renewal will follow.

As a minister, I hear about the challenges and struggles many people face.  I’ve talked to some about their nearness to death.  I’ve comforted others who face dying with great fear – who ask me for some assurance they will go to heaven.  I’ve visited the lonely and sad.  I’ve listened to those who feel the weight of life and all its stress.  I’ve heard others talk about the heartache of a broken relationship.  I’ve counseled a few who are caught in a web of substance abuse and addiction through which they see no escape.   Mostly, it seems, I encounter far too many people who hurt.  I realize that life is never easy.

But the amazing thing I find with every challenge I hear about is that people overcome.  In the midst of darkness that seems bleak and devastating, there is always light.  The dying often find a sense of peace and move into eternity with grace.  Those who are angry and bitter usually find a way to do what they once thought impossible – they forgive and come to love those who have hurt them.  The divorced, separated and single find self-confidence and inner peace.  In the process, many find new partners or spouses to love and cherish.  The addicted often hit rock bottom where the only direction they can go is up – and so upward they go by confronting the pain they had tried so hard to numb.  Time and time again, I’m deeply moved by people I know who suffer and yet who renew themselves with determination to live a more meaningful life.

When my mom turned sixty-five, a friend gave her a hand stitched decorative pillow that said on it, “Old age is not for sissies.”  My mom is now living out the reality of that expression.  In truth, however, that pillow might as well have said, “Life is not for sissies.”  Indeed it is not.  The Easter story, whether myth or actual history, is one that teaches a profound lesson.  Out of the depths of despair, from the valley of the shadow of death, there is always hope……after hope…….after everlasting hope.  We are each Easter people – bloodied and challenged – but never defeated and always, always renewing and growing.

I wish us all, this Easter Day, much peace and joy! 

(c) Doug Slagle, Minister to the Gathering at Northern Hills, A Unitarian Universalist Community, All Rights Reserved

 

On the night before he was assassinated, April 4th, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke to striking workers with the Memphis, Tennessee Black Public Workers Union.  Equal to his civil rights efforts, King was an anti-war advocate.  He strongly opposed the Viet Nam war.  That position was in keeping with his views about non-violence.

To the striking public service workers, who were angry and restless about their mistreatment, King implored them to continue their peaceful strike.  He said, “It is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence in this world……….it’s nonviolence or nonexistence. That is where we are today.” Sadly, his words that night still resonate today.  We live in a violent and nasty world where the most innocent among us, our children, are daily slaughtered in wars, in our homes, schools and streets.

I’m today concluding my March message series using topic suggestions from a few members.  Today, we’ll consider the subject of guns, violence and spirituality.  This is a topic recommended to me several months ago by new member Johannes Bjorner.  In a little while, I’ll invite Johannes to join me for an interview discussion about gun control.  But first, I want to frame the topic from a spiritual perspective.

Finishing his speech to the Memphis Public workers, King said, “We’ve got some difficult days ahead.  But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop … And God’s allowed me to go up to the mountain.  And I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the Promised Land.  I may not get there with you.  But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the promised land.”

His prophetic words that seemed to predict his death have been interpreted to be a vision for a world free of racism.  Comparing himself to the Biblical Moses, King however aspired to an even greater vision for a world united not just by equality – but also by peace.  Such a paradise is one dreamed by humans since the dawn of their existence – an Eden like world of love and tranquility.  Unlike most religious figures, King talked about a peaceful earth that people create – and not an other-worldly heaven only God can build. 

In that regard, King implored the striking workers to demand their rights non-violently.  His words echoed appeals he made years earlier for civil rights protesters to march against white oppressors not with anger……………..but with peace and prayers for white redemption.

These were the ethics that defined his life.  Much like Jesus and Gandhi……….Martin Luther King appealed for people to first cleanse their hearts of bitterness.  We cannot oppose oppression, we cannot denounce injustice, we cannot speak against prejudice if we harbor angry emotions.

And while it might seem like a Kum-bah-yah idea to dream of a peaceful world that might never exist, it is precisely the ethic of non-violence and love for enemies that must preface any talk about gun control.

Indeed, when we consider the topic of guns, why do people choose to own them – besides for hunting or target practice?  People and nations own guns and weapons because of their fears.  While legitimate fear is a rational response to the dangerous world in which we live, it is nevertheless an emotion rooted in primitive desires to survive at the expense of others.

But reason and experience tells us there is a better way.   Survival of the strongest is a dog eat dog ideology.  It’s a zero sum game.  Nobody wins.  Everybody loses.  Alternatively, cooperation and collaboration are proven to be better ways not just for a few to survive, but for all to thrive.

When we consider owning guns for self-defense, we are ultimately saying we put trust in our fears……….and not in our more rational aspirations to love.  Yes, guns may be a necessary evil until the dream of a peaceful promised land is realized, but we ought to at least admit that fact.  Owning a gun and financing military forces are admissions of human failure.

If that is the case, and if we truly desire to grow and learn, we must each strive to practice non-violence in our daily lives.  We must work to reduce our reliance on guns and other weapons for personal and national protection.  We should work for universal disarmament – even as impractical as that may seem.  It’s not just because guns kill and maim.  It’s because they represent the darkness within us – the fear, hatred and anger we have toward others.  If every person woke up tomorrow and harbored only love and cooperative attitudes for all people, weapons and armies would immediately be obsolete.  They would be seen as symbolically evil things to forever be eliminated.

This hope for a peaceful world is one expressed by the Biblical prophet Isaiah in the quote at the inside top of your programs.  His words were an assurance to ancient Jews that, despite centuries of conflict and oppression they had endured,  they must not despair.  No matter how illusive, no matter how impractical, humans must hope, pray and work for a world of peace where weapons will indeed be turned into plowshares, where disagreements are resolved peacefully, where people always speak and act toward one another not with arrogance or vengeance, but with gentleness and forgiveness.

Despite holding such beliefs, and despite my own efforts to practice non-violence, I instead find myself angry at those who oppose rational gun control.  I get angry with those who are not kind or considerate.  I’m often filled with scorn for those who deeply offend me, who hold different political views, who are criminals, terrorists or hate mongers.  As much as I spoke against making assumptions about others last Sunday, I too often assume that intolerant people are ignorant, evil and not worth my concern.  I fail to practice what I preach.

And yet (!!) the breath taking teaching from Jesus, Gandhi and Martin Luther King is that I must let go of anger and scorn and, instead, turn my other cheek.  I must refuse to act or speak in anger towards anyone.  I must forgive and let go of desires for vengeance.  Everything I do must be gentle and kind.  Indeed, the powerful lesson of Jesus’ crucifixion and of King’s martyrdom is one that Paul wrote in his First Corinthian Biblical letter:  God uses the weak things of this world to defeat the seemingly strong.  At Jesus’ and King’s weakest moment, as life blood seeped from their broken bodies, they were at their most powerful.

Blessed are the meek, the poor in spirit, the stranger and the marginalized.  The bullies, tyrants and demagogues of the world flaunt their illusory power as they spew hate filled words and advocate violence.  But they are ultimately weak, insecure and destined for the ash heap of history.  As Jesus taught and Martin Luther King dreamed, peace and joy and love will always prevail.

It may seem I preach to the so-called choir in this message – and in many others – but the sad truth is that we each hold anger, fear and intolerance in our hearts.   Do we advocate non-violence and more gun control laws?  Good for us!  But we must put such attitudes into practice in how we live.  To our partners, spouses, children, colleagues, fellow church members and strangers on the street, we must always be winsome and gentle people.  We must guard what we say and use instead words of understanding, kindness and diplomacy.

The path of non-violence must begin with us.  No bitterness.  No anger.  No name calling.  No speech or opinion that hurts another.   We must model to our children ways of dealing with their anger that does not resort to verbal or physical violence.  We must champion the peacemakers in our midst – those who speak calmly, those who lift up and never tear down, those who speak opinions with kindness, those who do not live in fear but work and speak in love.

Guns are crude tools in which we too often put our trust.  We trust that they will protect us.  Instead, we find the opposite.  Guns kill thousands every day.  In truth, however, it is the darkness within the human heart – the fears, hatreds, angry thoughts, arrogance and unforgiving attitudes – that kills people.  I believe strongly in what Johannes Bjorner will soon discuss – that reasonable gun control is a prudent step in building a world of peace.  But, BUT, we must first build peace and love inside ourselves – in how we think, speak and act – before we might ever hope to control guns and violence. 

And with that, I invite Johannes Bjorner to join me for why he suggested this topic and why it is so meaningful to him.  (There is no written text of the interview.  Please listen to it on the above audio file.)

Rev. Doug’s Comments at his Installment Ceremony on March 6, 2016

Many of you may recall that in Pope Francis’ comments – just after he’d been selected Pope – he made an unusual request.  He asked the large crowd to pray for him.

At first, the request came across as arrogant.  But Pope Francis’ implied message to the world was that he would not act as a high and mighty religious figure.  Instead, he was just another person in need of prayer.  More importantly, his plea implied that the people – and not just the priests, Bishops or Pope – the people are equally able to pray for and minister to others.

While I am certainly no Pope, I echo Francis’ sentiments.  Your choice of me as your minister is a great honor and responsibility.  It’s not one that I accept as your spiritual superior, however.  Instead, I accept this role because of an inward sense I’ve had for over fifteen years that being a minister is my way to give back.  But it is no different then the inner sense any of you have to be a parent, grandparent, nurse, teacher, social worker, engineer, whatever.  We each work and give back in ways that capture our passions and skills.

In doing so, we are each ministers.  I get to be called by that title but it is definitely not an exclusive designation for a small set of supposedly spiritual persons.  Each of you are ministers to countless people and I encourage you to see yourselves in that light.  How do we each contribute to making humanity and the world better?

I offer these comments most pointedly to the youth here today – especially to the teenagers who will soon take their place as leaders in our society.  Each of you young people are ministers.  You are powerful influencers and opinion shapers and care givers.

Our world desperately needs us all to be ministers in the sense that everybody yearns to find meaning and happiness in life.  We each strive to elevate the human condition and build a human family that cares for all of its members.   That is why we are here as Unitarian Universalists.

More than ever we need millions of ministers – every person – to advocate for and then practice values of love, inspiration, and mercy.  To the teens in this room, go out into your schools, clubs and sports teams  and be advocates for peace, for diversity, for befriending and championing all kids – especially those on the margins: the bullied, different, friendless, weak, black, immigrant, gay, lesbian, trans, goth, nerd, whatever. 

To us adults, the principle is the same.  Our secular world needs to be  reminded of eternal spiritual truths.  We each have the opportunity to bring people together, to point the way to living a purpose filled life, to extend hands of opportunity and respect, to inspire and to love.

I gratefully and humbly accept the work you’ve offered me to be the minister to the Gathering at Northern Hills.  But I do so with the acknowledgement that I am one among equals – no better, perhaps worse, than any of you. 

As a spiritual Community, we are like ancient people who gather around a bonfire, hold hands of communal support, and gaze out into a starry night and ask each other: What? Why? How? I know we will continue to ask such questions as ministers together.  And, please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I will strive to do the same for you.

I wish you peace and joy…

(c) Rev. Doug Slagle and The Gathering at Northern Hills, All Rights Reserved

Three of this month’s Sunday messages will have come, in part, from some of our members.  Last week we heard an excellent message from Cheryl Leksan as she reminded us that it’s beneficial to empower ourselves.  We must engage in a kind of pay it forward method of serving others.  Take care of yourself first so you can then take care of others.  Next week, we’l consider violence and gun rights – a topic suggested by Johannes Bjorner who has personally experienced the horrors of guns and warfare.

Today’s message topic comes from Chris Adamson, a member of the old Gathering, who won last years auction bidding to choose a Sunday message theme.  Chris was engaged in fierce bidding with another member to win this amazing privilege.  If my memory is correct, she finally won the prize with a bid of $1.27.  The other person, for some reason, refused to go over $1.25!

I encouraged Chris to choose a topic that deeply resonates with her – one that intersects with her life interests.  After some thought, Chris indicated that throughout her life she has witnessed in herself and in others the peril of making assumptions.  Too often, thoughtful people are trapped by their flawed beliefs.  Without even being aware of mistaken assumptions, people proceed to live according to beliefs that are simply wrong.  As we know, a fact is an assertion of a thing that exists or is already done.  An assumption, however, is supposing something without proof.  It is taking something for granted as true when it has not been proven. 

For instance, when I – along with many of you – began to first explore the idea of a merger, I did a lot of research not on Unitarian Universalist beliefs, which I mostly knew, but on UU culture.  I ran across many UU jokes that seemed to all be based on a similar premise.  One of the jokes was:    How many Unitarian Universalists does it take to change a light bulb?  There are three possible answers.  1) There is no fixed number of UU’s needed to change a light bulb BUT, the committee to change a light bulb must have a quorum.  2) It doesn’t require any UU’s to change a light bulb since UU’s accept a light bulb the way it is.  Or, 3) It doesn’t require any UU’s to change a bulb because UU’s are not afraid of the dark.

A second joke also concerned me.  Arguing with a Unitarian Universalist, it seems, is a lot like mud wrestling with a pig.  Pretty soon you realize the pig likes it.

It’s often said that comedy and tragedy are based on false assumptions.  Romeo committed suicide because he assumed Juliet was dead when she had only fainted.  I initially assumed, on the basis of a few jokes, that Unitarian Universalists love lots of committees, lots of talking and lots of argument. 

Fortunately, my first experiences here gave me the opposite impression.  And that has continued to be the case.  I’ve found people here are passionate about what they believe but no more so than anyone else.  UU churches have committees but no more than many other organizations and churches.  Indeed, the willingness to collaborate and cooperate is strong here – and in other Unitarian groups I’ve joined.  I was with a group of ten UU ministers this past Tuesday to talk about issues facing local congregations.  It could have been a day of endless talking by Unitarians and ministers – since both supposedly like to talk a lot.  Instead, there was brief and orderly discussion and no argument.  All were polite and did a lot of listening.  The same holds true for our Gathering at Northern Hills Board.  It’s held only three votes in the nearly one year I’ve participated with it.  But it has made many, many important decisions.  On every issue, the Board reached a consensus that broadly reflected everyone’s opinion.  Disagreements were listened to, acknowledged and used to make decisions even better.

The pleasant truth for me is that UU’s are, in reality, nothing like the jokes and stereotypes.  There are some unique distinctions but, overall, UU’s act according to their beliefs – to respect the dignity of and listen to every person. 

And this relatively benign example is played out in situations of far greater consequence. 

Marriages and relationships are regularly damaged by false assumptions one partner makes about the actions of their loved one.  A partner doesn’t surprise the other with small gifts anymore.  Therefore, he or she must not be in love anymore, etc, etc.    Businesses routinely make elaborate sales plans based on false assumptions about what consumers want.  Wars have been fought based entirely on assumptions that later proved mistaken – like the belief that Iraq’s Saddam Hussein had a stockpile of chemical and nuclear weapons.

Our nation struggles with assumptions and stereotypes made about other races, religions, sexualities and genders that not only demean millions of people, but diminish the valuable contributions they could offer.  Police officers kill innocent, unarmed African-Americans based entirely on false assumptions – that all black men are violent, have criminal intentions or are up to no good.  Large numbers of our population, including a candidate for President, demean Muslims based on the false assumption that Islam is a violent religion focused on killing non-believers.  Many of us look the other way when we encounter a homeless person by assuming he or she is an addict or simply lazy.  We often assume the problem with  people who suffer is their own making.  They lack work ethic or are immoral.  And it blacks or the poor do succeed in life, we attribute it to luck or by getting unfair advantage.

Psychologists say that stereotypes and assumptions are mental heuristics – short cuts in thinking that are made to save time.  People assume and generalize things based on limited facts in order to make sense of a complex world.  We categorize, jump to conclusions, fail to see nuance or we mind read all in order to deal with an often unknowable world.  Humans do so because we’ve been programed by survival instincts to think and react quickly.  We take mental short cuts.  It takes too long, for instance, to investigate whether or not a particular snake is dangerous.  We’ve seen people die from snake bites – so many people, like me, stereotype and fear all snakes.

More than that, humans have found that their survival depends on combining into cooperative groups.  But our cooperation does not extend to people who are outside our group.  Indeed, psychologists have shown that people closely identify with people in their own family, city, ethnicity, religion, church, gender, or sexual orientation.  But they fear and compete with people in other groups.

We tend to see great differences between our group and other groups – even though differences are usually minimal.  Irish Catholics and Protestants have fought bloody battles for centuries over small differences in religious belief, even though both groups are Christian.  Sunni and Shia Muslims despise one another over differing beliefs about who rightfully succeeded Muhammad – even though both groups see him as the messenger of God.

In our own nation, racist assumptions still linger even though differences between blacks and whites are remarkably small.  Over 75% of all African-Americans living today have white ancestry.  Substantial portions of their genes come from whites – a legacy of white slave owners raping female slaves.  Hatred towards African-Americans by some whites is, therefore, animosity towards their own relatives. 

Such hatreds are the product of group identity.  We categorize each other into groups while believing that only those within our particular group are good.  We often demonize those in other groups as inferior and less intelligent.

In that regard, experts say that making stereotypical assumptions directly results from egotism.  Experts indicate that group chauvinism results from a lack of self-esteem.  If a group or individual is at peace with itself, assumptions about others are much lower.  But, when a group or individual’s self-esteem is threatened, false assumptions and prejudice are higher.  That was the case with the rise of Hitler in 1920’s and 1930’s Germany after it’s humiliating defeat in World War One.  Nazi hatred toward Jews was an explicit way to boost German self-esteem.  The hateful bombast of Hitler belied the deep insecurity in him – and in many of his supporters. 

I believe we are witnessing a similar trend today.   As demographic diversity in the U.S. increases, some white, straight males feel threatened economically and socially.  They are no longer at the apex of society.  As their self esteem is assaulted, many react in hateful ways toward blacks, immigrants, Muslims, women and homosexuals  It is a common attitude to tear down another in order to somehow feel better about oneself.

Challenging assumptions we make is a difficult process , however.  Each of us make assumptions without even realizing we are doing so.  Experts, however, offer two primary ways to challenge them.

Before acting on an assumption, we should first conduct a pre-mortem, a pre-autopsy, to discover facts.  That is, we should critically examine our assumptions.  The next time any of us have a disagreement with a romantic partner, for instance, we should stop and think of the assumptions we are making about the other.  We can do so by looking for weak spots in our thinking.  We can undertake fact finding by learning opposing thoughts.  We should think as if our assumption is wrong and then list all the arguments that will prove it wrong.  And, we must intentionally move outside our group and get to know people in other groups.

This task involves much greater communication with one another.  With our romantic partners, fellow church members, and friends of other races and religions, we must engage in honest conversation – seeking to listen and even adopt their arguments – all for the sake of eliminating false assumptions.

Second, we must reject a black and white, good and bad thinking about other people.  As I discussed in a January message on the merits of the color grey, truth lies somewhere between two opposite extremes.  To avoid making false assumptions, we must look for grey zone similarities in people instead of categorizing them according to perceived differences. 

As an example, Christians, Jews and Muslims should be known for how they are alike.  Each honors the same creator God.  Each recognizes Abraham as the father of their religion.  Each advocates charity towards all people.  Each establishes the Golden Rule as the primary ethic for a moral life.  Their core, foundational beliefs and values are the same.    

Likewise, the many races that comprise humanity are rapidly blending.  We are truly becoming one human race.  In 1980, less than 5% of all marriages were interracial.  Today, nearly 20% are and that percentage increases annually.  Anthropologists say that we are moving toward a world with one race much like the olive skinned people of Brazil who are a three-way blend of black, native, and white.

And, to further my point, human sexual orientation in most people has also been shown to be remarkably similar and fluid.  Most millennials cannot understand why there are categories of orientation that override the simple idea of affection between consenting adults.  As Unitarian Universalists affirm, we stand on the side of love – a unifying spiritual ethic that all religions promote.

Finding what unites instead of what falsely divides is thus an essential value.  Jesus practiced this by intentionally reaching out to women, children, the diseased, the poor, the sinner, the criminal, the Jew and the non-Jew.  He moved beyond stereotypes to see one’s inherent humanity and, like Mother Teresa said about the poor whom she served, he saw the face of God in every person.

The Buddha taught the same.  The path to enlightenment is to let of go of selfish thinking and desires.  We must be caring and gentle toward our selves, as Cheryl Leksan encouraged last week.  BUT, that is only the means to a more important end: we must love and serve others without prejudice.

Interestingly, core Islamic belief promotes this ethic.  Allah, the Quran says, sees no differences between people.  We are his children and Allah sees only our hearts.  This is why, when pilgrims travel to Mecca and circle the Kaaba – the focal point of Allah’s earthly presence – each person wears a simple white garment recognizing that there is neither male, female, rich, poor, white, black, young or old.  A beautiful tapestry of humanity from all over the world gathers together.  In the presence of all that Muslims believe is good and divine in the world, there is an assumption free zone of one human family.  In our homes, workplaces, churches and cities, we must create the same.

   

        

      

Dr. Richard Sears, who presented a message at GNH on meditation and mindfulness in the fall of 2014, speaks in the below audio recording about Buddhism. Dr. Sears is a clinical psychologist, ordained Zen Buddhist teacher and the author of six books, including Mindfulness: Living through Challenges and Enriching your Life in this Moment; and Perspectives on Spirituality and Religion in Psychotherapy. For more information, visit his web site at www.psych-insights.com.

Click here to listen to the message: