PRINCIPLE TWO: JUSTICE, EQUITY AND COMPASSION IN HUMAN RELATIONS
EACH TIME I AGREE TO PRESENT A PRINCIPLE OR A LIVING TRADITION ,I FIND I HAVE NO TROUBLE FILLING UP SHEETS AND SHEETS OF PAPER WITH LOFTY SOUNDING WORDS. THE TROUBLE ALWAYS IS - HOW TO BEST BEGIN.
ONE WOULD THINK OUR SECOND PRINCIPLE: JUSTICE, EQUITY AND COMPASSION IN HUMAN RELATIONS WOULD PROVIDE ME WITH WORDS THAT WOULD FLOW OUT LIKE WATER. BUT THAT IS NOT ALWAYS SO.
UNLIKE OTHER PRINCIPLES THIS PRINCIPLE RAISES A LOT MORE QUESTIONS THAN PERHAPS ANSWERS &LET ME BEGIN & WITH A QUOTE FROM ROBERT KENNEDY.
EACH TIME A PERSON STANDS UP FOR AN IDEAL, OR ACTS TO IMPROVE THE LIFE OF OTHERS, OR STRIKES OUT AGAINST INJUSTICE,
IT SENDS A TINY RIPPLE OF HOPE, AND THOSE RIPPLES, CROSSING EACH OTHER FROM A MILLION DIFFERENT CENTERS OF ENERGY,
BUILD UP A CURRENT, WHICH CAN SWEEP DOWN THE MIGHTIEST WALL OF OPPRESSION AND RESISTANCE.
LAST MONTH DONNY SWANK SPOKE SO ELOQUENTLY ON OUR FIRST PRINCIPLE, THE INHERENT WORTH AND DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON.
OUR SECOND PRINCIPLE SEEMS TO FLOW FROM OUR FIRST ONE. IF WE TRULY BELIEVE IN THE WORTH OF EACH PERSON IT IS ONLY LOGICAL THAT WE SHOULD TREAT EVERYONE WITH JUSTICE, EQUITY AND COMPASSION.
JUSTICE, EQUITY AND COMPASSION SOUND LIKE GRAND CONCEPTS.. NOT THINGS THAT APPLY TO OUR ATTITUDES &NOT JUST THEWAY WE TREAT
OTHERS OR NOT THINGS THAT WE REMEMBER TO DO JUST ONCE IN AWHILE.
JUSTICE ISN T JUST WHEN WE SERVE ON A JURY. EQUITY ISN T JUST WOMEN BEING PAID THE SAME AS MEN, AND COMPASSION ISN T JUST CARING FOR AGED PARENTS.
TWO WEEKS AGO, LINDA CRAIG BROUGHT THE ISSUE OF PEACEMAKING TO OUR ADULT EDUCTION. PEACEMAKING WAS SELECTED BY THE 2006 GENERAL ASSEMBLY AS A TOPIC OF CONCERN. THE ISSUE IS: SHOULD THE UUA REJECT THE USE OF ANY AND ALL KINDS OF VIOLENCE AND WAR TO RESOLVE DISPUTES BETWEEN PEOPLES AND NATIONS AND ADOPT A PRINCIPLE OF SEEKING JUST PEACE THROUGH NONVIOLENT MEANS.
FURTHER, BEING THOROUGH UU S, THEY DEVELOPED 11 POSSIBLE STUDY QUESTIONS AND 7 POSIBLE ACTIONS WE COULD CONSIDER. IT WAS A VERY GOOD THING 4 YEARS WAS ALLOCATED FOR THIS STUDY.
I HAVE ADDED SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. MINE DON T NECESSARILY REQUIRE ANSWERS TODAY EITHER.
WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN TO A UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST?
WHY DO WE BELIEVE AS WE DO?
WHY ARE THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEDOM AND REASON AND TOLERANCE, THE BELIEF IN JUSTICE, EQUITY AND COMPASSION SO IMPORTANT TO US?
TO MAKE US FEEL GOOD? OR TO MAKE US BE GOOD?
IS IT CLAUDIA S JOB TO TRANSFORM US?
DO WE WANT TO BE CHANGED BY COMING HERE?
DO WE WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD IN COMING HERE?
DO WE TEACH HERE WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG?
WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IN GOD OR NOT, OR IN LIFE AFTER DEATH OR NOT – MAY OR MAY NOT MATTER. IT DOES MATTER HOW YOU LIVE. FOR WHAT ELSE IS THERE? WE HAVE SAID WE BELIEVE IN DEEDS NOT CREEDS. IS THAT NOT WHAT WE BELIEVE?
I M SURE WE ALL THINK WE DO TREAT PEOPLE FAIRLY AND KINDLY. YET, I D BE WILLING TO BET THERE ARE SOME TIMES WE COULD IMPROVE OUR BEHAVIORS. WE MAY NOT JUDGE SOMEONE BY THE COLOR OF HIS SKIN OR BY HER AGE, BUT PERHAPS WE ALLOWED OURSELVES TO MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE TEENAGER
WE SAW THIS MORNING WEARING BAGGY CLOTHES AND EARRINGS IN PLACES THAT WERE QUITE DISTINCTLY NOT ON EARS.
DO WE GIVE EVERYONE THE SAME CHANCE? DO WE SHOW EVERYONE THE SAME LEVEL OF COMPASSION?
EVEN IF – EVEN IF – YOU ARE MORE PERFECT THAN I AM, AND NEVER, EVER TREAT PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY BASED ON SILLY SURFACE DETAILS, I D BE SURPRISED IF ANY OF US COULD CLAIM WE VE NEVER BEEN UNKIND.
WHICH OF US HASN T HAD A ROTTEN DAY AND SNAPPED AT OUR KIDS, OR PERHAPS IGNORED A LOVED ONE S NEED IN THE FACE OF OUR OWN UNHAPPINESS OR SELF-ABSORPTION?
IF YOU THINK YOU ARE TOO SMALL TO BE EFFECTIVE YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO BED WITH A MOSQUITO- SO WROTE BETTE REESE, A VERY WISE WOMAN.
WHY ARE SO MANY OF US ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN SOCIAL PROJECTS?
WHY DO WE GIVE SO MUCH OF OUR TIME, OF OUR TALENTS, AND OUR SKILLS? I THINK WE GIVE FROM A SENSE OF PASSION AND FROM COMPASSION – IN OUR DESIRE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
UNITARIANS HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF NEEDING TO GIVE AND A STRONG SENSE THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING TO GIVE. ALTHOUGH PART OF THIS COMES FROM OUR UU PRINCIPLES AND BELIEFS, IT ALSO COMES FROM A SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT – WE HAVE GOOD IDEAS AND GOOD IDEAS OF WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS.
WE ENGAGE WITH OTHERS BECAUSE WHETHER WE KNOW IT OR NOT – WE SENSE THE HOLY, THE DIVINE – AND WE FIND THE REAL MEANING OF OUR EXISTENCE THROUGH OUR ENCOUNTERS WITH OTHERS. THIS IS MY DEFINITION OF SPIRITUALITY.
IT IS THIS ATTITUDE, THIS PHILOSOPHY, AND THIS IMPULSE THAT DRIVES ME TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THE WORLD S PROBLEMS AND PERHAPS ITS SOLUTIONS.
I KNOW WITHIN ME THERE IS ALSO AN AREA I HAVE TO WATCH – I HAVE TO KEEP IT IN CHECK – AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT I HAVE HONEST CRITICS, HONEST MENTORS AROUND TO KEEP ME IN CHECK.
I CAN VERY EASILY MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT AND HOW OTHER PEOPLE SHOULD ACT AND BE AND WHAT THEY NEED.
BUT I WANT TO BE ENGAGED WITH GROUPS THAT NOT ONLY STRUGGLE WITH CHANGING, BUT WORK HARD TO STAY IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER – WORK FOR VALUES AND GOALS ESTABLISHED BY AND FOR THE GOOD OF THE GROUP AS OPPOSED TO MEETING THE NEEDS, WISHES AND DESIRES OF ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL.
WHAT I THINK WHAT OTHERS NEED IS NOT REALLY WHAT THEY DO NEED – AND WHEN I AM WITH OTHERS – I CAN LEARN THIS.
AT ONE TIME WE USED TO SAY AND BELIEVE, “GIVE ME A FISH AND I EAT FOR A DAY; TEACH ME TO FISH AND I EAT FOR A LIFETIME. NOW WE KNOW THIS ISN T ENOUGH. WE MUST ALSO MAKE ROOM AT THE POND.
ALTHOUGH WE APPEAR TO HAVE SOME TENDENCIES, FULL-BLOWN CONCEPTIONS OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY MUST BE LEARNED. THEY DO NOT SEEM TO NATURALLY DEVELOP ON THEIR OWN.
WHILE WE CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, IN THE REALM OF EVOLUTIONARY EXPERIENCE WE HUMANS ARE BUT CHILDREN – ONLY BEGINNING TO KNOW THE POWER EMBODIED IN OUR LOVE FOR LIFE.
DEFENDING HUMAN RIGHTS DEMANDS WE SAY “NO TO THE PROPAGANDA OF WAR AND “NO TO CORPORATIONS THAT BENEFIT FROM KILLING.
INSTEAD, WE WILL SAY YES TO OUR CULTURE THAT HONORS WOMEN, BECAUSE THEY, MORE THAN MEN, NURTURE LIFE.
YES TO OUR CULTURE THAT HONORS THE SUN, BECAUSE IT, MORE THAN OIL, PRODUCES LIFE.
YES TO OUR CULTURE THAT HONORS WATER, BECAUSE IT - MORE THAN THE STOCK MARKET, SUSTAINS LIFE.
AND YES TO OUR CULTURE THAT HONORS THE SEASONS AND DECENCY AND HUMAN DIGNITY BECAUSE THEY ILLUMINATE LIFE.
IF WE DON T LIVE OUR VALUES, THEN WE HAVE NO VALUES AND NO LIFE. THE CHANGE, THE REVOLUTION BEGINS IN HERE – IN EACH OF US. IT BEGINS WHEN WE SAY NO TO THE STATUS QUO - WHEN WE CHANGE OUR LIVES ARE TRANSFORMED.
WE NEED A REVOLUTION OF REASON AND MERCY.
WE NEED TO COUNTER THE FUNDAMENTALISM OF MATERIALISM WITH THE DEMANDS OF JUSTICE.
WE LIVE IN IDOLATROUS TIMES – TIMES WHERE WORSHIP IS AT THE ALTARS OF MONEY - OF STUFF - OF SELF AND EGO. LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN AND LET IT BEGIN WITH US. LET IT BEGIN WITH ME.
OUR UU FAITH IS BASED ON NON-NEGOTIABLE VALUES: FREEDOM, REASON AND TOLERANCE. FROM OUR BEGINNINGS IN THIS COUNTRY, IT HAS BEEN THOSE THREE: FREEDOM, REASON AND TOLERANCE. AND NOT JUST FOR US – BUT FOR THE WORLD.
WE UU S HAVE ALWAYS SAID – OUR FAITH HAS ALWAYS SAID – THAT THESE THREE VIRTUES WILL BRING ABOUT A MORE JUST AND PEACEFUL WORLD. IT IS OUR TASK TO ESTABLISH THEM BY LIVING THEM OUT IN OUR OWN LIVES. FREEDOM &REASON & TOLERANCE & JUSTICE &EQUITY &AND COMPASSION.
THE SEEDS OF JUSTICE HAVE BEEN PLANTED BY UU MINISTERS AND PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU AND ME – IN THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATIONS FOR MORE THAN 150 YEARS – WE HAVE BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE EFFORT TO KEEP OUR SHIP OF STATE ON A SELF-CORRECTING COURSE.
MAHATMA GANDHI SAID IT PERFECTLLY &
I SHALL PASS THROUGH THIS WORLD BUT ONCE. ANY GOOD THAT I CAN DO OR ANY KINDESS THAT I CAN SHOW TO ANY HUMAN BEING LET ME DO IT NOW. LET ME NOT DEFER OR NEGLECT IT, FOR I SHALL NOT PASS THIS WAY AGAIN.
UNITARIANS LIKE THE REVEREND THEODORE PARKER AND LIFE-LONG ACTIVIST JULIA WARD HOWE ARE INSPIRIATIONS.
PARKER CALLED FOR THE DEFIANCE OF THE “FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT AND LED THE OPPOSITION TO IT. HE DIED BEFORE HE SAW MUCH PROGRESS IN ENDING SLAVERY, BUT HE NEVER LET UP – HE NEVER GAVE UP.
HOWE FOUGHT TIRELESSLY FOR WOMEN S SUFFRAGE AND THOUGH NEVER ABLE TO CAST A VOTE – SHE STAYED IN THE FIGHT. TEN YEARS AFTER HER DEATH, WOMEN S SUFFRAGE BECAME LAW.
ONE THING THAT JULIA WARD HOWE AND THEODORE PARKER TAUGHT US – IS THAT THE TIME IT WILL TAKE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF INJUSTICE IS EXACTLY EQUAL TO THE NUMBER OF BREATHS WE WILL DRAW.
IN THE LONG TERM, HISTORY BENDS TOWARD JUSTICE AND THE ARC OF THE UNIVERSE TOWARD LIFE – BUT IT TAKES COURAGEOUS MEN AND WOMEN TO BEND IT.
ARE WE UP TO THE TASK?
SOME PEOPLE SAY THERE CAN BE NO PEACE WITHOUT JUSTICE – AND NO JUSTICE WITHOUT PEACE. SOME PEOPLE WORK HARD ON JUSTICE ISSUES FOR INDIVIUDALS; THEY FEED THE HOMELESS, VISIT THOSE IN PRISONS. SOME WORK HARD ON SYSTEMIC ISSUES ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE SYSTEMS THAT CREATE INJUSTICE.
THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT WAR SEEMS AN INHERENT PART OF OUR SOCIAL CONDITION. LONG BEFORE, LONG BEFORE, RECORDED HISTORY, WAR HAS BEEN A PART OF THE SOCIAL PICTURE – YET THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES OF RELATIVE PEACE.
IF PEACE WERE NOT A POSSIBILTIY WE WOULD NOT THINK OF IT AS A POTENTIAL WAY TO BE.
IF PEACE WERE NOT A POSSIBILITY WE WOULD NOT BE DISTRESSED BY WAR.
IF PEACE WERE NOT A POSSIBILITY WE WOULD NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT BUT WOULD SIMPLY ACCEPT WAR AS INEVITABLE.
ALTHO WAR MAY BE INHERENT IN OUR SOCIAL CONDITION, WAR IS NOT NORMAL, NOT NATURAL, NOR IS IT TO BE EXPECTED. ON THE SAME HAND, PEACE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT COMES NATURALLY.
IT IS A STATE OF MIND, OF THE SOUL. WE – EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US CAN HELP MAKE POSSIBLE.
IS IT MAGICAL THINKING TO ENVISION A WORLD, A SOCIETY WITHOUT WAR?
WHERE AND HOW CAN WE BEGIN TO ADDRESS THE REAL ISSUES OF PEACE?
IS THE SOLUTION TO WAR TO ASSURE THAT ALL PEOPLE S BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS ARE MET?
WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES TOWARD PROGRESS?
WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES TO BRINGING PEACE?
WHAT CAN WE DO?
HOW BEST CAN WE USE OUR PRINCIPLES TO INFORM AND EMPOWER OUR LIVES?
HOW CAN WE STAY FOCUSED?
IF THERE IS TO BE PEACE IN OUR WORLD, WE NEED REAL PEACE IN OUR NATIONS, REAL PEACE IN OUR CITIES, REAL PEACE BETWEEN NEIGHBORS, REAL PEACE IN OUR HOMES AND YES PEACE IN OUR HEARTS.
CAN WE BRING MORE JUSTICE, MORE EQUITY AND MORE COMPASSION INTO OUR LIVES AND THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND US?
BRINGING THESE QUALITIES INTO OUR DAILY DEALING WITH OTHERS MAY BE HARD & BUT PERHAPS WE COULD WORK JUST A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO BE AWARE OF THESE CONCEPTS AND TO ASK OURSELVES MORE FREQUENTLY WHETHER WE ARE INDEED LIVING THOSE VALUES.
IS OUR TASK IN LIFE IS TO BE GOOD PEOPLE? IF SO, REALIZE WE CAN BE GOOD & WE WILL ERR & WE WILL ALL DO WHAT IS WRONG FROM TIME TO TIME & WE CANNOT AVOID THAT. BUT WE ARE ALL BETTER THAN OUR OWN WORST ACT. WE CAN BE AND USUALLY ARE – GOOD ENOUGH.
DO JUSTICE. LOVE MERCY. FORGIVE EVERY CHANCE YOU GET.
JUSTICE, EQUITY AND COMPASSION. LOFTY WORDS INDEED &LOFTY, PASSIONATE, COLORFUL, UPLIFTING, INSPIRING….WORDS FOR US TO LIVE BY. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR US…IS TO LIVE BY OUR WORDS.
YES, WE DO HAVE A PRINCIPLE THAT SPEAKS TO AFFIRMING THE WORTH AND DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON…,AND YES…,WE HAVE A PRINCIPLE THAT SEEKS WORLD PEACE, JUSTICE AND EQUITY. AND I AM GLAD - NO, I AM PROUD -THAT WE DO.
WHEN THE POWER OF LOVE OVERCOMES THE LOVE OF POWER, THEN THE WORLD WILL KNOW PEACE…- JIMI HENDRIX
I'D LIKE TO END THIS MORNING WITH AN EXCERPT FROM DENISE LEVERTOV’'S POEM ""BEGINNINGS” FROM HER BOOK :CANDLES IN BABYLON”
BUT WE HAVE ONLY BEGUN TO IMAGINE THE
FULLNESS OF LIFE ,
HOW CAN DESIRE FAIL?
WE HAVE ONLY BEGUN
TO IMAGINE JUSTICE AND MERCY…,
WE HAVE ONLY
BEGUN TO KNOW
THE POWER THAT IS IN US
Jeanne Owers, February 17,2008