A CALL FOR DENOMINATION-WIDE DIALOG & CONSENSUS BUILDING

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax

I too am very disturbed by the UUA adopting, without discussion or consent, the false ideology of “whiteness” as something akin to original sin and using this to stifle open and honest dialogue via highly inflammatory and accusatory language like “white supremacy”

I am against fundamentalism and illiberalism by the right or the left (and anywhere in between), and support and welcome the exchange and listening to different ideas and philosophies (including those different than mine, and within the framework of Right Relations). You learn and grow as a person by considering other ideas and being challenged on your own ideas. I thought that's what UU was about.

Thank you for starting the petition. I am distressed at the intolerance for different views. One woman said she refused to read an essay because it was written by two white men. How does this square with UU?

Grateful to Anne Schneider for her analysis in 'The Self-Confessed "White Supremacy Culture" of the U.S. Left in Unitarian Universalism; was a 30 years member at First Unitarian Church in Chicago, IL, Board Member and Landscape Committee Member there, married husband there 17 years ago; about 1 year member at Valley Unitarian Universalist in Tempe, AZ, after we moved here. Realize that only with more open discussion and education within the UU congregations will we be prepared to take a realistic role in leading this country's culture in a more anti-racist direction. And that is urgent!

I am a 60+ year old black female. I am not angry, but concerned that the ideology that attracted me to embrace the UU faith is being mismanaged. There is a better way and only through open and honest dialogue can the wounds be healed. Extremism on any side is harmful. I cannot say that I agree with all of Todd Eklof's analysis, but I felt no harm in reading his essays and I fervently defend his right to express his views.

20 years formal UU, current member of Valley UU, Chandler AZ

The petition calls upon the UUA and UUMA to live up to, and act in accord with, our Principles. I wholeheartedly agree. My only departure from the wording of the petition is that I am not angry. Rather, I am deeply saddened by the recent developments.

I never thought I would consider dropping out of this denomination, but recent events have me questioning whether I want to be associated with this new direction the UUA is taking us.

This scares me more than Trump. When it seems the UUA is violating our principals, what will become of us?

i agree with this statement

I have been a member of Valley UU Congregation in Chandler, Arizona, for 32 years and have served on the Board, been President of the congregation, head of the Worship Associates and held many other leadership positions. Unitarian Universalism has nourished me for decades and was the home in which I raised my children. It deeply saddens me to see us straying so far from our Principles and Covenants.

I attended GA this year and was very disappointed to find a lack of tolerance for views that didn't agree with the UUA leadership. I wish our leadership would reread principles one, two and four and take them to heart.

As a lifelong Unitarian, I felt truly grief- stricken when I was at GA this year, to hear UUA leadership telling us that we all should adopt their point of view, which point of view I found to be very distressing. UUA is way out of place telling us UUs that we are supposed to think the way they think. Edith Fletcher

Northwest UU Congregation, Georgia

We have been taken over by extremists. Where we once had a focus on reason in religion we have become focused on radical pluralism. Our leadership is gutless in the face of Postmodern ideology.

UUCS Member

Contract Minister UU Church of Meadville (PA)

UU for more than 35 years. Currently a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Savannah, Georgia.