tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.comments2023-03-22T02:15:59.526-07:00EMBODIED FRAGMENTSErik Reslyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05025309686027704616noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-16015276306767014562011-12-05T09:49:15.404-08:002011-12-05T09:49:15.404-08:00Your question is a great one, Rachel. No matter ho...Your question is a great one, Rachel. No matter how much we read, everything comes down to relationship. <br /><br />I would recommend that you search for the local Gurdwara (Sikh house of worship) and simply show up. Here are some guidelines about best practices: http://sikhism.about.com/od/gurdwaras/tp/Gurdwara.htm<br /><br />Blessings!Erik Reslyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05025309686027704616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-69864530634019223482011-12-05T07:40:15.480-08:002011-12-05T07:40:15.480-08:00How do UU's go about making connections to sik...How do UU's go about making connections to sikhs.. and by this i mean in a social action/ interfaith sense. reading about sikhism is great but what if we were to come together as two faiths to do two types of work, social action work which is important to both of our groups and at the same time interfaith work by creating open dialouge for both faiths. But where do we go to meet sikhs and to make this happen?Rachel Stevensonhttp://facebook.com/rachelstevensonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-5487544666461662772010-09-12T06:14:31.712-07:002010-09-12T06:14:31.712-07:00A message of healing and unity, and the humility t...A message of healing and unity, and the humility to know we need both.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-16381874335272170242010-08-29T18:14:15.711-07:002010-08-29T18:14:15.711-07:00How difficult for you to leave her and how blessed...How difficult for you to leave her and how blessed you are to have known her and to have learned from each <br />other.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-33870028696003968152010-08-11T06:27:56.598-07:002010-08-11T06:27:56.598-07:00Hi Erik
I've been learning about Sikhism for ...Hi Erik<br /><br />I've been learning about Sikhism for a number of years now. I'm an Australian of English/German descent, which puts me unfortunately at odds with the majority Punjabi population in the gurdwara sahibs in my area.<br /><br />Consequently I have found myself feeling isolated in that environment, and without sangat, and started reading up about other religions where I might better fit in. And came across UU. <br /><br />I think I'm seeing things on the same page as you, that Sikhism and UUism appear to go hand in hand. I attended my first UU service but a week ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. Perhaps I could see this as my sangat? It was a relief to have people come up to me and speak to me, tell me about the place, rather than ignore me (I guess due to language barrier).<br /><br />I think UUism appears to be a great platform for "Westerners" to access the wonderful treasure of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.<br /><br />I do ponder though about how Sikh Sikhs (haha) would view such an attempt?<br /><br />Are you able to share with us your views of head covering if you are going to share Gurbani in your future congregations? Perhaps you can assist me to visualize how you imagine "Unitarian-Sikhs" to be?<br /><br />At any rate, I'm encouraged by what you're doing, and very happy to have come across Unitarian Universalism. Keep up the good work!<br /><br />IshnaTinyPlanktonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165382936085371421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-30961075880960643662010-08-11T06:08:03.107-07:002010-08-11T06:08:03.107-07:00I'm sorry to hear about your patient. It is a...I'm sorry to hear about your patient. It is amazing that you can feel divine presence in even a sad aspect of life.<br /><br />Satnaam.<br /><br />IshnaTinyPlanktonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165382936085371421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-25383076085335909702010-02-24T02:28:01.421-08:002010-02-24T02:28:01.421-08:00I greatly enjoyed your presentation at Stanford an...I greatly enjoyed your presentation at Stanford and hope to meet again soon.djdrrrtypoonjabihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06924607959046397114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-85958604464700767852010-01-10T19:55:14.316-08:002010-01-10T19:55:14.316-08:00On the contrary, I appreciate your insightful conn...On the contrary, I appreciate your insightful connection between abstract theology and praxis. Danke!Erik Reslyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05025309686027704616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-29919060648919666402010-01-10T08:14:21.927-08:002010-01-10T08:14:21.927-08:00At the same time, I want to believe that we as hum...<i>At the same time, I want to believe that we as humans participate in, from time to time even co-direct, this game...</i><br /><br />This is partciluarly true in light of the ongoing climate change debate. We can as well tame mother nature by engaging in mitigation efforts...and thus live in harmony with her...<br /><br />Perhaps a rather non-religous statement... but I see cross sections nonetheless.Johannesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-40620425772736671672009-12-24T10:41:51.977-08:002009-12-24T10:41:51.977-08:00This is a wonderful post, Erik!This is a wonderful post, Erik!t. curtishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05214791851827132376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-34726321739564617142009-12-07T08:25:32.887-08:002009-12-07T08:25:32.887-08:00I love this statement from Peter Bowden's blog...I love this statement from Peter Bowden's blog at http://uugrowth.wordpress.com/:<br /><br />We bring diverse people together around shared Universal values. <br /><br /><br />Marie Murton<br />Fox Valley UU FellowshipAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-66986573724098087372009-12-03T08:16:14.519-08:002009-12-03T08:16:14.519-08:00...messiness of being-in-the-world
Messy as the w...<em>...messiness of being-in-the-world</em><br /><br />Messy as the world is, life is sweet; I'd hate to be out of it instead.Bill Baarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07095486926836836714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-77466832839050190972009-11-25T15:28:17.164-08:002009-11-25T15:28:17.164-08:00I am honored. Blessings to you and your family!I am honored. Blessings to you and your family!Erik Reslyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05025309686027704616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-79186796748689539942009-11-25T04:50:01.717-08:002009-11-25T04:50:01.717-08:00A lovely Thanksgiving blessing. I printed it out t...A lovely Thanksgiving blessing. I printed it out to share with my husband.Mary Bowman-Kruhmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16973425104206767851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-57630477107120544022009-11-19T01:19:22.061-08:002009-11-19T01:19:22.061-08:00God of sinking light..
Perfect and lovely for thi...God of sinking light..<br /><br />Perfect and lovely for this time of the changing of seasons - a time of light and darkness emphasized.Julianne Lepp she/herhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00941424441399878648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-51562240955426823272009-11-07T19:23:17.457-08:002009-11-07T19:23:17.457-08:00I think that anti-racist work is an important peac...I think that anti-racist work is an important peace of working toward a mutliracial congregation, especially within this religion that has spent so much time with very limited diversity. It is also important to do anti-racist work and anti-oppression work because it is a key towards making justice happen outside of the congregations. It is part of what UUism stands for. The question that puzzles me is how does a congregation get to the actual point of becoming multiracial and in this liberal accepting religion what is stopping it from happening?Seeker of the Chalicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17728136908314244840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-1861166297148134592009-11-02T14:40:14.470-08:002009-11-02T14:40:14.470-08:00Wow. I just read that poem in german yesterday. I ...Wow. I just read that poem in german yesterday. I would not have expected to find the poem on the internet, especially translated into english. I am visiting the Unitarian Society in Frankfurt since 2007 and I plan to join the congretation soon. I did not expect someone outside the congregation to still remember Clemens Taesler...<br /><br />If you need other poems from his, just send me a message (cap1979@gmx.de).<br /><br />DennisDennis Griesernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-46052881457732346052009-10-28T07:33:43.591-07:002009-10-28T07:33:43.591-07:00Hello!
As someone who loves Ware's "Fo...Hello!<br /> As someone who loves Ware's "Formation" I very much appreciate your words especially about the balance that Ware achieves between human agency and "grace."<br /> Thank you kindly for your post and Blessings, BUslthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15780928540224945711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-44311234311071642622009-10-15T17:16:12.922-07:002009-10-15T17:16:12.922-07:00It may sound very simplistic, but is this how pre-...It may sound very simplistic, but is this how pre- Christians came up with the concept of Jesus as the son of God, to demonstrate deity within the humane and the human within deity? Might Jesus not be the simple Western way of simplifying this concept? Perhaps the well read or well versed felt that leaving this concept on a thoretical level was just to difficult for Westerners to understand; thus, the easier acceptance of a truly "embodied"theory.<br /><br />D.R.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-75141841706010435012009-09-06T14:37:12.864-07:002009-09-06T14:37:12.864-07:00What about the notion of a religious organization,...What about the notion of a religious organization, namely the Unitarian Universalists Association of Congregations, ordaining intolerant "fundamentalist atheists" as U*U clergy? That to me, to say nothing of others, seems at best counter-intuitive, definitely ludicrous, and at worst. . . well I will let you and other U*Us decide that. Personally, I firmly believe that ordaining anti-religious "fundamentalist atheists" as U*U ministers and the much broader toleration and condoning, if not active affirming and promoting, of anti-religious intolerance within the U*U World is a major contributing factor to why Unitarian*Universalism is "a tiny, declining, fringe religion" these days. . . I say the gig is up and it is high time that the UUA made it very clear that anti-religious intolerance and bigotry violates U*U principles and ideals and will no longer be tolerated in The U*U World. In fact I will soon be using this latest incident as a fulcrum to gain some leverage towards that achieving that end. . .Robin Edgarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06208142626285495635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-48097131742754538152009-09-03T17:24:36.927-07:002009-09-03T17:24:36.927-07:00Blogger forced me to split my response into two pi...Blogger forced me to split my response into two pieces -<br /><br />:Perhaps, by the end of this project, I will be better equipped to understand the strengths and weaknesses of liberal religion more broadly. <br /><br />I expect that you will Erik, especially if the allegations made by those German anti-racist and anti-fascist groups turn out to be even half true. I do encourage you to be diligent in your research about the relations between German Unitarians and Nazis before, during and after WWII. For the after WWII part you can't go too far wrong by running a Google search on -<br /><br />Deutsche Unitarier Nazis<br /><br />A Canadian university professor by the name of Karla Poewe wrote a book titled 'New Religions and the Nazis' which may prove to be of some use in this matter. Parts of it are available in Google Books.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Robin EdgarRobin Edgarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06208142626285495635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-75571280938042824842009-09-03T17:23:37.658-07:002009-09-03T17:23:37.658-07:00You're welcome Erik,
I first heard about alle...You're welcome Erik,<br /><br />I first heard about allegations of Nazis within the ranks of German Unitarians early in this decade when a visiting member of the German Unitarians told me that he had similar problems to my own (discrimination and harassment by anti-religious "Humanist" U*Us) because Humanist "Nazis" in the DUR were interfering with his efforts to introduce a more spiritual approach. I wanted to learn more about this but lost contact with him because I was unable to get contact details from him. I ran pertinent searches for more info in the internet but did not find anything at the time. The subject of alleged Nazis in the Deutsche Unitarier Religionsgemeinschaft raised its ugly head again a year or so later when someone asked about these allegations in the Unitarian Universalist sections of Beliefnet. He provided the name of the Deutsche Unitarier Religionsgemeinschaft and when I Googled that along with the word Nazis a whole bunch of German language websites along with a small handful of English language pages came up revealing the aforementioned allegations about Nazi ideologues subverting the DUR from the late 1940s or early 1950s right into the 1980s and 1990s. How true these allegations are I cannot determine but they are disturbing enough to warrant further investigation. <br /><br />When I pressed U*Us to look into these allegations about Nazis using the DUR as a front group most U*Us preferred to look 180 degrees the other way. . . I was repeatedly censored and suppressed in online forums and UUA email lists for raising this issue. In fact I was permanently banned from ALL UUA email lists soon after asking some specific questions about specific individuals named in these allegations on the ICUU email list. You might find my emails archived there although I have reason to believe that some of them may have been "memory holed". I doubt that you will find the list of detailed questions that apparently resulted in my permanent ban from UUA email lists there but let me know if you do. I am quite sure that I raised the subject on the anti-racist UU email list too.<br /><br />:My intent is not to retrospectively point fingers in righteous indignation, but to better comprehend the rich traditions of unitarian and free thinking churches in Germany and their responses in the face of overwhelming political and ideological pressure. <br /><br />Well you are obviously going to cover the period from the late 1920s or early 1930s to the mid 1940s. The question is will you go further than that and look into these allegations of post WWII subversion, or indeed just plain corruption, of the German Unitarian religious community? The German anti-fascist and anti-racist groups were alleging that Nazi ideologues were prominent leaders of the Deutsche Unitarier Religionsgemeinschaft well into the 1980s and even the 1990s. <a href="http://homepages.uni-tuebingen.de/gerd.simon/hunke.htm" rel="nofollow">Sigrid Hunke</a>, who was one of the alleged Nazi ideologues, formed a splinter group called the Bund Deutscher Unitarier Religionsgemeinschaft in the late 1980s after an apparent schism of some sort. <br /><br />BTW It turns out that the German word for Aryan is Arier so the German word for Unitarier conveniently suggests United Aryans in much the same way that one can make the wordplay UnitAryans. <br /><br />:I suspect that, like most histories, this one will be riddled with inconsistencies and contradictions. <br /><br />Isn't that where, and indeed *why*, a free and *responsible* search for the truth and meaning of that history comes into play Erik?Robin Edgarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06208142626285495635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-89826892862803394242009-09-03T15:14:37.144-07:002009-09-03T15:14:37.144-07:00I thank you both for your input and interest in th...I thank you both for your input and interest in this endeavor. My intent is not to retrospectively point fingers in righteous indignation, but to better comprehend the rich traditions of unitarian and free thinking churches in Germany and their responses in the face of overwhelming political and ideological pressure. I suspect that, like most histories, this one will be riddled with inconsistencies and contradictions. Perhaps, by the end of this project, I will be better equipped to understand the strengths and weaknesses of liberal religion more broadly.Erik Reslyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05025309686027704616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-2278347287140951642009-09-03T12:14:08.825-07:002009-09-03T12:14:08.825-07:00You may be opening a bigger can of worms than you ...You may be opening a bigger can of worms than you realize Erik but I commend you for posting this question about the possible or actual involvement of German Unitarians with the Nazis as they are commonly called. Are you aware of the fact that German anti-racist groups and anti-fascist groups have been alleging for decades that the Deutsche Unitarier Religionsgemeinschaft was subverted by Nazi ideologues, including alleged former SS officers allegedly convicted of war crimes, and that these alleged Nazi ideologues held high level leadership positions in the Deutsche Unitarier Religionsgemeinschaft through the 1980s and even into the 1990s? Will you be dealing with the Bund Deutscher Unitarier splinter group formed by Sigrid Hunke? I certainly have been encouraging U*Us to engage in a genuinely free and responsible search for the truth and meaning of these disturbing allegations for years now and I am of course curious about the relations between German Unitarians during WWII and prior to it. I wish you luck with this endeavor. You may need it. . .Robin Edgarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06208142626285495635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993941477780103370.post-31182532496224431622009-09-03T10:15:02.939-07:002009-09-03T10:15:02.939-07:00This is a difficult issue but I personally believe...This is a difficult issue but I personally believe that the answer to your question, "Does a pastor's decision to appease a hate-filled ideology in the name of maintaining a fellowship of religious support necessarily stain him with guilt?" is yes, it does. While I agree that it is important to hold a Congregation together in such challenging times, history demands more of us. If the German churches had taken a firmer stand earlier, history might have been different. Even if not, there example may have been an inspiration to us today. See my own blog entry: http://mypropheticimperative.blogspot.com/2009/08/it-was-necessary-to-keep-us-safe.html.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com