“Who are Unitarian Universalists?” someone asked a friend who had recently attended a UU service.

“Got me,” she replied, “the conversation I heard after the service was about that morning’s sermon, last night’s movie, this fall’s election, teachers’ recent modifications due to AI, and concerns about oceans in the next decade.”

“Wow, that’s quite a range of topics,“ replied the friend.

“Yes, I also noticed they were full of life, mixed humor with philosophical discussion, and planned projects to address our community’s needs, while they snacked on coffee and cookies.”

“Oh, I’d have thought they’d focus on religious subjects.”

“Not really, although one person did mention the old movie, ‘Oh God!’ Remember? George Burns played the title role. When he was asked, ‘Was Jesus your son?’, George replied, puffing on his cigar, ‘Of course, Jesus was my son,’ then he paused and added, ‘And so were Confucius, the Buddha, Mohammed…and lots of others who didn’t get such good publicity.’”

“Interesting! Seems they don’t go in for hero-worshipping.”

“Nope, as I recall, the minister closed his service with, ‘We ask these things in the names of all those, known and unknown, remembered and forgotten, who lived and died as devoted servants of humankind.’ I think his point was that greatness in spirit and deeds isn’t the sole possession of famous faith leaders. UUs value everyone who hopes to live, as Lincoln said, ‘with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right.’”

“Ah, that makes sense to me.”

September 27, 2024