I am disgusted. No, disheartened. No, just plain frustrated with people. Yep, most people. Why do a FEW squeaky wheels get what they want? They are not the mostly silent majority. And the level of their feverish tone just drives me insane. What am I talking about? Many things - here is just one recent example:
The UU World had an ad on the front cover of it's magazine promoting an organization that works for the separation of church and state. They work for freedom from religion in the public space. This is a cause near and dear to my heart. I live in a region where Christian theology is part of every aspect of life - remember in my area: Atheists can't hold public office, they pray before Quorum Court meetings and my politicians resemble Republican Christians more than their Democratic peers. And so that separation - and the FIGHT for it - is relevant to my everyday life.
But NOOOOOO! The Unitarians online were offended. They thought it was anti religion. They saw it as an affront to their own theist ways. One even said "I was embarrassed to show it to a non-UU that they might get the wrong idea". WHAT THE FUCK. Seriously. What is WRONG with all of you? Are you so nervous about your own version of what OUR religion is that you don't understand that there are people IN OUR DENOMINATION that are fighting the SAME cause that this organization is? It isn't ANTI RELIGION... it just doesn't want it in our LAWS and PUBLIC SPACES.
Calming down.
So, these SMALL AMOUNT OF VOCAL (I thought I was calm, but obviously I am still pissed) UU's contacted the WORLD and said REMOVE THIS AD.
I wrote a small note to them THANKING them for the ad.
Then I got an email from the UUA APOLOGIZING for the ad and saying they would remove it.
AGAIN. WHAT THE?
This is the same magazine that has a POLYMORY ad... and an anti Atheist ad in it. This is a magazine that is SUPPOSED to represent ALL OF THE UNITARIANS within it's reaches. BUT NO... that SMALL GROUP OF VOCAL UU's took away something that was relevant because it scared them. Shame on them. Did I call or write to complain about the anti Atheist ad... no. Why? Because I think it is relevant to our discussion of religion in our denomination. Did I call to say that it might not look good to promote polymorism in our religious publications. No, because some of you might think that is important... not my thing, but I can let it go.
My question is why can't you? Why can't you let an ad that is defending your right to promote your religion in the confines of the law be part of our Unitarian dialog. Why are you so scared? I swear to your god that you are ruining our religion and watering it down to something that I no longer recognize. I am embarrassed for us as a denomination and I am sad that a few fearful people have pushed the UUA into doing what they wanted.
Reminds me of that health care debate raging on. Embarrassed for the civil discourse... embarrassed for us as people. Embarrassed and angry.
