vaguely religious ramblings and Wikipedia

[kodalai]

I was reading up on Unitarian Universalism today, and whle it was of course interesting and largely made me proud, for some reason reading about it made me very sad, as well. I don't know why. Maybe it's because it seems like such a wonderful thing. It's hard to believe that there can be such wonderful things in our world sometimes. Not that I think UUism is perfect -- of course not. We have our uglinesses and pettinesses and blind spots (polyamory, anyone?) just like everyone. But still...

Maybe it's the fact that even though it seems like a good thing, it's so small. And so many people don't know or don't care about it. I by now assume that should I ever tell someone "I'm Unitarian Universalist" I'll receive a blank stare or a "What's that?" in response.

For a while I wondered why everyone wasn't UU. I thought everyone should be. I realize now that it's not for everyone, as good a thing as it is, and it couldn't be for everyone, no matter how hard it tries. I came to realize that tolerance means tolerance of everyone, even the people who can never be tolerant themselves. And maybe that's why I'm sad.

...Or maybe it's because so many of my spiritual antecedents got burned at the stake for preaching tolerance. Or nailed to crosses, or whatever.

...Nah, couldn't be.

[edit] Oh yeah, I'm 21 tonight. If it weren't 1:30 AM, I might take the opportunity to go out and get ragingly drunk.

Comments

[solitude1056.livejournal.com]

Congrats on 21, I had no idea. Sheesh, no one tells me anything. If I'd known that, I would've come up with a better birthday present than just a password. Yipes. Here, you're old, have some WORK.

As for UU...yes. I agree. The hardest part about being tolerant is learning to tolerate the intolerant.

[kodalai.livejournal.com]

Heh. I consider it fair warning, no worries. ^_~

[darksea.livejournal.com]

Aha! 21 is a good age, I hear. I ... really wouldn't know.

... aaand, while I don't follow UU myself (as I'm more along the lines of being Buddhist), I do know what it means. *hug*

[kodalai.livejournal.com]

That's something, at least. *sigh* I think most religions could do with a small influx of Buddhism. Maybe it would at least help Christianity to remember what it's supposed to be about.

[(Anonymous)]

You probably also don't want to be negotiating a Red Eye flight while ragingly drunk – it sucks all by itself, with no help from chemicals.

Happy birthday.

Daddy

[chibi-faolan.livejournal.com]

w00t!! Happy Birthday!!! So, when do I get to take you to the bars and get you drunk? ^^