RELIGIOUS ATHEISTS: OXYMORON ? By Rev. Robert M. Eddy Minister Emeritus Delivered 19 MAY 2013 At The Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola, Florida Before we sing our ingathering hymn I’d like you to open your hymnals to … Continue reading →
I’ve been reading a very disturbing book, HITLER’S FURIES by Wendy Lower, which documents the hideous story of the NAZI Killing fields. What is most disturbing is how ordinary people became enlisted in the huge bureaucracy required to murder millions of Jews, Gypsies, Homosexuals, and physically “inferior” persons. “Surely” they say, “war was justified to prevent such hideous violations of human rights. How can one be a pacifist under these circumstances?” This sermon, developed as a response to some people’s claim that President Obama was a Pacifist after he received the Nobel Peace Prize. I explain here why he was not.
Continue reading →The patriotic holidays always trigger ambiguous emotions in this Pacifist’s heart. I do love this country, and celebrate her virtues – but I am not blind to her flaws. This twenty year old exploration of “patriotism” is still expresses what I believe.
Continue reading →An article in the current issue of FREE INQUIRY published by the Council for Secular Humanism led me to revisit a speech I gave in 1992. Not much I’d change if I were reading it today. It has a lot of information on my 1985-86 world tour speaking to Humanist and Unitarian groups. Hope you find it of interest.
Continue reading →The title is a bit misleading, deliberately. As we were observing the 150th anniversary of the beginning of America’s most costly war (at least 250,000 dead) I examine whether any war can be “civil” in the sense of respectful of one’s adversary. Write me directly if you would like to discuss this.
Continue reading →UUism is certainly not hostile to the best in Christianity as exemplified in the authentic life of Jesus of Nazareth and in millions of his followers. Some of us here accept the answer the greatest Christian theologians give to the great questions but not all. Some of here accept the answers some great Buddhist teachers give to the great questions. Some of us here accept the answers some of the great Greek philosophers or modern philosophers give to the great questions – but not all. As a group we accept no theologian’s or philosopher’s answers. If we did share a common religion or philosophy we would not be UU’s. Diversity is essential to the uu way of being religious. It is not answers that unite us, but the questions we consider most important and the methods of seeking answers. That’s why we recite a covenant each Sunday rather than a creed.
People who suffer from malfunctioning brains are still people. The higher brain functions are not a definition of living. In fact, it would be better if we gave up the words “normal” and “impaired” when talking about brain functioning. As the mother of an autistic child suggested some time ago the words, “common” and “quirky” are more useful. Many people on what is now called the “autism spectrum” have astonishing brain power not exhibited in “common” people. Oliver Sacks in his many books has introduced us to many of these people.
The fact is that the aging process may be altering our brains in ways that put us in touch with possibilities that we could not experience when we were younger. And we don’t need an iron rod or a massive stroke to get in touch with them.”
If we must look to the past, let us look to the clear eyed Epicurus who first set human feet on the path away from fearful reliance on miracle, mystery and authority. Let us seek. as he did, harmlessness, happiness and helpfulness. Let us, like him, aspire to civility, tranquility, delight. And let us forswear forever the temptation to holiness which has produced such disaster in the past.
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I must confess I find many of the ideas that are popular among younger UU’s literally in credible — unbelievable. But that is not what is important — and this is the whole point of this sermon. What is important is not whether a belief is true. What is important is what that belief does to a person. What is important is what that belief encourages, empowers, makes real in the life of the community to which that person belongs.
Continue reading →If your standard of truth is a book: the bible or the Koran – then there’s no resolution. But if you believe that the search for ever more consistent explanations and ever better predictive formulations is the best human minds can do then there is plenty of room for civil discussion.
For myself there is no way to derive ethics from cosmology. I call myself a Humanist because to me there is nothing more important than being humane; refusing always to treat persons as things; trying always to be kinder and more effectively compassionate where you live. Loving your neighbor – meeting the needs of the person left suffering in your path – be he of your tribe or not.