After writing the last post, I noted it on Twitter (I’m bitb) where Martin Kelley (martin_kelley) , a force behind QuakerQuaker picked it up.

To make the dialog short, I have an appeal for Unitarian Universalist Christians reading this. Please note in the comments how you have been affected by “anything but Christian” behavior, and (where appropriate) you have confronted it.

Also, I recall a good bit written about this when the UUCF began to reassert itself a few years ago. Does anyone recall which issues of the Good News had articles on the subject?

Unitarian Universalist Christians use a few terms — Christophobia, cross cringe and ABC (”anything but Christian”) — to describe the reception we get in unfriendly settings.

A posting today at QuakerQuaker shows that the problem — or perhaps a like problem — isn’t uniquely Unitarian Universalist. A shame that. Perhaps, too, an opportunity.

“Liberal Quaker Problem” (QuakerQuaker)

Are there any other Unitarian Universalists interested in forming an online Linux Users Group? The goal could include encouraging principled Linux use among Unitarian Universalists and discovering Linux-based solutions for religious institutions.

If you’re interested please contact me.

Anglican priest and blogger Andii Bowsher (Nouslife) outlines a service of worship conducted around a table, say at a cafe or restaurant. The key is low-volume, shared participation. Which isn’t too strange: people hive off to coffee shops for meeting all the time here.

I don’t know if I’d come up with what he did, but the idea of worship in a shared public space is good theologically and practically, and may be an early way for bootstrapping congregations to get started, when even the cost of a room rental would inhibit it.  If you have experience in this kind of worship — or even practical tips for holding meetings in a restaurant — please comment.

(That said, I’ve preached to congregations in venerable churches that weren’t any larger than a kaffee klatch.)

Oh, but if you do that, plan on spending money on food or drink or both. And don’t forget the waitstaff. ‘Cause you know the difference between Christians and canoes, right?

Canoes tip.

The UUWorld.org General Assembly blog reported the today’s first meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees and newly elected UUA president Peter Morales here, here and here.

One episode stands out: a statement, made by trustee Will Saunders (Northern New England) that suggested a uniformity of president-board policy that seems to have bothered other trustees. This prompted moderator Gini Courter to note they had “started weird.”

I feel like I’m missing a piece here — the thrust and tone of the episode — not the least because that there’s a reference to Saunders reading the comments. Did he bring prepared comments? And are the available?

Was anyone else present who can shed some light on this?

The current employment-themed issue of The Onion has an article with a dateline — Boston — and an employer — Beacon Press. Clearly not the Boston-based Beacon Press that’s a part of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

But it’s funny all the same.

“Summer Intern Already Forgotten” (The Onion)

On this day, in 1969, the public phase of the gay liberation movement began with a much-storied Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Viilage. Tons and tons has been written about it. And that’s why most annual gay and lesbian events are usually in stifling hot weather.

It was also the day I due to be born — I was late, and turn forty later this week — so when I think of this movement, I plot it against my own lifetime.

So the public, loud, organizing, sacrificing, activist face of gay liberation has been around longer than I have been. As biblical scholars know, forty is a number that shows everything has changed: forty days of rain, the forty years in Sinai, Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness.

And life, especially related to civil rights, has improved in the last forty years. But for most GLBT people in the United States, there aren’t any protections, especially where it matters most: in housing and employment discrimination, in adoption and immigration, in retirement and survivorship matters, in taxation and — far too often — in personal safety.

It is still possible to build a (Republican) political career in the United States by attacking GLBT people, both because of public bias and pathetic (Democratic) opposing response. For what other group can you do that?

So when gay people, like myself, try to hold President Obama accountable for pushing reforms

• we’re not “stepping out of line”
• we’re not “distracting the President from more important things”
• we’re not “brats”
• we’re not “co-opting [someone else's] civil rights movement.”
• we’re not going to fund those who won’t help us
• we do expect the repeal of disciminatory laws
• we do expect our families to be respected — at least before the law — on par with other families

Enough is enough. I’m not going to wait until I’m eighty.

Stay ready for the fight.

The General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association has been looking like a snooze (from afar; I don’t care much about the presidential politics at hand) until Larger Forces came into play:

The UUA’s “Standing on the Side of Love” banner, which has been hanging this week on the glass entry tower to the Salt Palace, the site of the General Assembly, broke loose during an intense thunderstorm Friday evening, shattering several panes of glass . . . .

This is from Chris Walton, reporting officially. Read the rest.

What’s the message here? (Other than big banners need strong rigging.)

In a slightly more serious tone: I don’t care for the “Standing on the side of love” activism branding. It’s precious and high-handed (is everyone else a hater?) and it evokes that dreadful hymn of the same name. Also, when I hear “side of . . . ” I instinctively think “bacon”. (And “SSLove” makes me think “same-sex love” — an unhelpful ambiguity.)

In practical terms, I’m still not sure what the goal of the campaign is, and that’s after reading the companion site. Much too nebulous. What’s next? Overcoming evil and progressively establishing the Kingdom of God? A great idea, but I’d like to see a business plan first.

If you use Gmail for your church or nonprofit business, just go ahead and review these tips from Google. There’s even a ready-to-print version. (Thanks L. N. for the head’s up)

The newest issue of Liberal Christian magazine has just been published.

This issue includes the Bible, copyright and freedom; a tale of growth or extinction and thoughts about what the Unitarian Universalist Association is.

http://www.liberalchristian.net