U*Us Who Live In Gl*Ass Houses Really Should Not Throw Stones At The Emerson Avenger. . .
Recently Indrax has taken to engaging in "name-calling" by repeatedly labeling The Emerson Avenger an "ass". This U*U "name-calling" has since been taken up by another fellow named Bart who posted some follow-up commentary to Indrax's 'Final Report As An Ally' blog post. Bart may or may not be a U*U but, like the bona fide U*U Indrax, he seems to be perfectly capable of being a bit of an "ass" himself. . . Bart even had the gall to suggest that being an "ass" might be a "chronic condition" of The Emerson Avenger by saying,
"Reply Robin... reply away... but Indrax is right, you are being an ass... but I think it might be a chronic condition."
This asinine U*U "name-calling" brought to mind the fateful and really remarkably prophetic words of a "famous Unitarian" poet who, like his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson, ultimately turned both of his other cheeks on Unitarianism in apparent disillusionment and disgust. Needless to say I made good use of the prophetic words of Samuel Taylor Coleridge in my response to Bart's (and indeed Indrax's) very ill advised "name-calling" and hung these famous Unitarian words about some "asses" of Unitarianism around U*U necks like the proverbial albatross. . .
Herewith my response to both Bart an Indrax -
Only because being outrageously hypocritical asses is a "chronic condition" of most of the U*Us I have the misfortune to know Bart, and that includes you if you happen to be a U*U. . .
As I cautioned Indrax in my post below, and in my follow-up comments to his Heresiology blog, considering the distinct similarity of the U*U religious community's "corporate identity" acronym to an "ass" he and other U*Us would be very well advised to think twice (and even three or four times. . .) before labeling me or anyone else as an "ass".
Strangely enough I had never noticed the distinct similarity of the UU "corporate identity" to an "ass" until in her immense wisdom CUC Executive Director Mary Bennett saw fit to oh so creatively insert an asterisk between the twin cheeks of UUism, henceforth to be known as U*Uism. . . in order to symbolize and call attention to the self-professed "inclusiveness" of the U*U "religious community". Needless to say when I somewhat belatedly noticed the asinine potty-humour hilarity of Mary Bennett's inadvertently subversive sabotage of the UU acronym by turning both cheeks of UUism into a significantly more "inclusive" U*U via her creative insertion of a sphincter-like asterisk between UUism's twin cheeks I had a bit of a field day with it. . . Once the similarity of the UU acronym to an "ass" was so distinctively emphasized by Mary Bennett's not so wise decision to turn the Unitarian Universalist UU acronym into the "U asterix U" of U*Uism aka Unitarian*Universalism the statements of U*Us world-wide took on a whole new meaning! ;-)
Here are some of my favorite UU quotes that make use of the U*U acronym for Unitarian*Universalist. Just read "ass" where you see U*U and "sphincter" or perhaps "ass-tricks" where you see asterisk and try your best not to giggle. . .
When I say aloud Unitarian*Universalist or U*U the star is silent, since You, Asterisk You! Sounds like an insult, although You, Star, You! Is a compliment indeed!
Kalvin Drake, also on the Statement of Principles Task Force says, "As well as being visually intriguing, I personally find the "*" useful.
When talking about matters U*U, sometimes it's convenient just to say "UU"; other times the "*" provides an excuse to actually talk about the interplay between Unitarianism and Universalism.
There are really three (and, I would argue, almost independent) issues:
1. How do we brand/label ourselves as a distinct philosophical and religious denomination?
2. What is historically accurate for the Canadian movement?
3. What is theologically accurate for the current state of the Canadian movement?
I would argue that #1 should be driven as much by "ease of recognition" and "ease of pronunciation" as by the answers to #2 and #3! "U*U" works for me on that score. Perhaps it's for the "*" between the "U" and the "U" that people join us.
All of the above quotes were gleaned from Why Not A Star? written by CUC Executive Director Mary Bennett herself. In light of my status as an unjustly "excommunicated" U*U, and the fact that Mary Bennett is quite aware of that far from inclusive status, her 'Why Not A Star!' propaganda piece may be readily seen as yet another example of outrageously hypocritical U*U BS. . .
More Mary Bennett quotes about her U*U Unitarian*Universalist acronym -
What's a U*U? How about a new constellation?
Earlier this year (2004) I plunked an asterisk (or star) between 'Unitarian' and 'Universalist' to create the acronym 'U*U'. It was my shorthand way of saying, 'Unitarian, Universalist, Unitarian-Universalist, Universalist-Unitarian and everything in between. . .'
Jane then extends the metaphor to say a new constellation is the result of all this U*U activity and visioning in Canada.
Other quotes -
This followed the lead of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists—a naming that took much time and effort in order to be inclusive of U*Us worldwide!
Question 4: What would be missing from your life if there was no U*Uism in it?
Question 5: What can U*Us do for Canada and the world?
"Facing futures yet unknown:" This is really where we are right now as Canadian U*Us.
The third religious principle we affirm and promote is: acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations. This time I ask you to listen to these words of the Executive Director of the CUC, Mary Bennett. She has coined a new image or phrase that I find quite meaningful and uplifting. She says:
"I started using an "asterisk" [between Unitarian and Universalist] to mean:"both/and/or/ or reversed" and it started catching on. When I say aloud Unitarian*Universalist or U*U the star is silent, since "You, Asterisk ,You" sounds like an insult, although '"You, Star, You" is a compliment indeed!...
A popular reading from Singing the Living Tradition at this time of year is #621 - Why Not a Star? It says, "Who knows what uncommon life may yet again unfold, if we but give it a chance?"
Now here is some fallow ground for U*Us world-wide. . .
* The asterisk used in this curriculum in Unitarian*Universalism stands for "and/or" to include Unitarian, Universalist and Unitarian Universalist groups that are part of our international movement. The flower shape of the asterisk helps remind us that we are part of an ever-changing garden.
Naming the organization proved a bit difficult. How does one succinctly cover Unitarian, Universalist and Unitarian Universalist in a name? Canadian Unitarian Mary Bennett offered another option: "U*U", also standing for Unitarian and/or Universalist. In this curriculum we have used the asterisk option (U*U). The asterisk resembles a flower and reminds us to view our international movement as the ever-changing garden that it is.
The theology, practices, history and organizational structures of U*U’s vary around the world.
Symposiums and meetings sponsored by the ICUU have brought international U*U’s together where deep sharing and listening can take place.
The ICUU benefits both its members and the larger Unitarian*Universalist movement.
Loehr and Drennan remind us that whichever side of the border U*Uism meets on Sunday mornings, while conservative fundamentalist churches are growing in attendance by offering certitudes and a place for the "faithful" – many of the mainline religious Protestant and Catholic churches are also liberal in their social action and also entertaining a home for the "doubtful". . . ;-)
Changing the name of the CUC has occasionally been debated, but there have been no successful motions. To recognise the diversity, the abbreviation is often written as U*U (and playfully read as "You star, you").
"Reply Robin... reply away... but Indrax is right, you are being an ass... but I think it might be a chronic condition."
This asinine U*U "name-calling" brought to mind the fateful and really remarkably prophetic words of a "famous Unitarian" poet who, like his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson, ultimately turned both of his other cheeks on Unitarianism in apparent disillusionment and disgust. Needless to say I made good use of the prophetic words of Samuel Taylor Coleridge in my response to Bart's (and indeed Indrax's) very ill advised "name-calling" and hung these famous Unitarian words about some "asses" of Unitarianism around U*U necks like the proverbial albatross. . .
Herewith my response to both Bart an Indrax -
Only because being outrageously hypocritical asses is a "chronic condition" of most of the U*Us I have the misfortune to know Bart, and that includes you if you happen to be a U*U. . .
As I cautioned Indrax in my post below, and in my follow-up comments to his Heresiology blog, considering the distinct similarity of the U*U religious community's "corporate identity" acronym to an "ass" he and other U*Us would be very well advised to think twice (and even three or four times. . .) before labeling me or anyone else as an "ass".
Strangely enough I had never noticed the distinct similarity of the UU "corporate identity" to an "ass" until in her immense wisdom CUC Executive Director Mary Bennett saw fit to oh so creatively insert an asterisk between the twin cheeks of UUism, henceforth to be known as U*Uism. . . in order to symbolize and call attention to the self-professed "inclusiveness" of the U*U "religious community". Needless to say when I somewhat belatedly noticed the asinine potty-humour hilarity of Mary Bennett's inadvertently subversive sabotage of the UU acronym by turning both cheeks of UUism into a significantly more "inclusive" U*U via her creative insertion of a sphincter-like asterisk between UUism's twin cheeks I had a bit of a field day with it. . . Once the similarity of the UU acronym to an "ass" was so distinctively emphasized by Mary Bennett's not so wise decision to turn the Unitarian Universalist UU acronym into the "U asterix U" of U*Uism aka Unitarian*Universalism the statements of U*Us world-wide took on a whole new meaning! ;-)
Here are some of my favorite UU quotes that make use of the U*U acronym for Unitarian*Universalist. Just read "ass" where you see U*U and "sphincter" or perhaps "ass-tricks" where you see asterisk and try your best not to giggle. . .
When I say aloud Unitarian*Universalist or U*U the star is silent, since You, Asterisk You! Sounds like an insult, although You, Star, You! Is a compliment indeed!
Kalvin Drake, also on the Statement of Principles Task Force says, "As well as being visually intriguing, I personally find the "*" useful.
When talking about matters U*U, sometimes it's convenient just to say "UU"; other times the "*" provides an excuse to actually talk about the interplay between Unitarianism and Universalism.
There are really three (and, I would argue, almost independent) issues:
1. How do we brand/label ourselves as a distinct philosophical and religious denomination?
2. What is historically accurate for the Canadian movement?
3. What is theologically accurate for the current state of the Canadian movement?
I would argue that #1 should be driven as much by "ease of recognition" and "ease of pronunciation" as by the answers to #2 and #3! "U*U" works for me on that score. Perhaps it's for the "*" between the "U" and the "U" that people join us.
All of the above quotes were gleaned from Why Not A Star? written by CUC Executive Director Mary Bennett herself. In light of my status as an unjustly "excommunicated" U*U, and the fact that Mary Bennett is quite aware of that far from inclusive status, her 'Why Not A Star!' propaganda piece may be readily seen as yet another example of outrageously hypocritical U*U BS. . .
More Mary Bennett quotes about her U*U Unitarian*Universalist acronym -
What's a U*U? How about a new constellation?
Earlier this year (2004) I plunked an asterisk (or star) between 'Unitarian' and 'Universalist' to create the acronym 'U*U'. It was my shorthand way of saying, 'Unitarian, Universalist, Unitarian-Universalist, Universalist-Unitarian and everything in between. . .'
Jane then extends the metaphor to say a new constellation is the result of all this U*U activity and visioning in Canada.
Other quotes -
This followed the lead of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists—a naming that took much time and effort in order to be inclusive of U*Us worldwide!
Question 4: What would be missing from your life if there was no U*Uism in it?
Question 5: What can U*Us do for Canada and the world?
"Facing futures yet unknown:" This is really where we are right now as Canadian U*Us.
The third religious principle we affirm and promote is: acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations. This time I ask you to listen to these words of the Executive Director of the CUC, Mary Bennett. She has coined a new image or phrase that I find quite meaningful and uplifting. She says:
"I started using an "asterisk" [between Unitarian and Universalist] to mean:"both/and/or/ or reversed" and it started catching on. When I say aloud Unitarian*Universalist or U*U the star is silent, since "You, Asterisk ,You" sounds like an insult, although '"You, Star, You" is a compliment indeed!...
A popular reading from Singing the Living Tradition at this time of year is #621 - Why Not a Star? It says, "Who knows what uncommon life may yet again unfold, if we but give it a chance?"
Now here is some fallow ground for U*Us world-wide. . .
* The asterisk used in this curriculum in Unitarian*Universalism stands for "and/or" to include Unitarian, Universalist and Unitarian Universalist groups that are part of our international movement. The flower shape of the asterisk helps remind us that we are part of an ever-changing garden.
Naming the organization proved a bit difficult. How does one succinctly cover Unitarian, Universalist and Unitarian Universalist in a name? Canadian Unitarian Mary Bennett offered another option: "U*U", also standing for Unitarian and/or Universalist. In this curriculum we have used the asterisk option (U*U). The asterisk resembles a flower and reminds us to view our international movement as the ever-changing garden that it is.
The theology, practices, history and organizational structures of U*U’s vary around the world.
Symposiums and meetings sponsored by the ICUU have brought international U*U’s together where deep sharing and listening can take place.
The ICUU benefits both its members and the larger Unitarian*Universalist movement.
Loehr and Drennan remind us that whichever side of the border U*Uism meets on Sunday mornings, while conservative fundamentalist churches are growing in attendance by offering certitudes and a place for the "faithful" – many of the mainline religious Protestant and Catholic churches are also liberal in their social action and also entertaining a home for the "doubtful". . . ;-)
Changing the name of the CUC has occasionally been debated, but there have been no successful motions. To recognise the diversity, the abbreviation is often written as U*U (and playfully read as "You star, you").
Comments
If you reject human relationships, you shall not have them.
You would do well to pay heed to your parting shot Indrax. If you reject or go out of your way to sabatoge human relationships, you shall not have them yourself. . . I did not in fact reject my human relationship with you. I only rejected your increasingly dubious offer of "help". I can't help but notice that your alleged "friendship" with me was apparently contigent upon me continuing to accept your highly questionable "help". I had very good reason to "reject" your purported "help" in that it was increasingly apparent that your self-described "help" was actually doing more harm than good to my "cause". I did not reject a broader human relationship with you, only your increasingly unhelpful and even harmful "help". I take note of the fact that it is in fact you who have chosen to completely end your alleged "friendship" with me because I perfectly justifiably rejected a single element of that alleged "friendship". It is you who has sabatoged and ultimately rejected your human relationship with me, not the reverse. . .
My friendship with you was contingent on my help. I have no other reason to be your friend. That should have been clear from all the times I urged you to reveal some of your humanness. What I see of you online is mean, annoying, obsessed. I have an abstract concept of you as a human being with worth and dignity, but only my philosophy of helping people motivated me to make it substantial.
If you reject or go out of your way to sabatoge human relationships, you shall not have them yourself.
One difference between you and I is that I don't care what other people think. You have been trying very hard for a long time to influence people and affect your [non]position in the church. I don't need you or the UCM to like me. I might be a little upset if I lost all respect amongst UU bloggers, but...
I am not the one who got kicked out of his church for disruptive behavior. Another difference between us is that I am actually willing to have human relationships. I can accept that people don't like me, and that that doesn't make them evil. If I ever do offend the blogosphere, I can work through it.
You have deeply offended your church and the UU blogosphere, and you have no intention of repairing or even admitting that offense. All the offenses you commit are 'justified'.
You saw it more when I first met Robin on beliefnet. When Robin talks about something else, he is actually articulate and cool. He used to treat people pretty decently and talk about other things. A lot more people listened to him then. There was at least one lady who was calling him a prophet and various other thoughtful people admitted that there was probably a kernal of truth to what he had to say.
He reminds me a lot of my grandmother, who felt a doctor cheated her when she was 83 and spent the remaining ten years of her life plotting revenge and refusing to talk about any other subject. She didn't have any proof and refused our advice on how to sound rational when making complaints, so she never got anywhere and she died lonlier than she had to be because of her focus.
I remember going over to her house very depressed once. I told her this guy Mark and I had broken up and I was very sad because I'd really liked him and her response was "What do I care? A doctor cheated me three years ago!"
When you get to the point that your obsession with your cause makes it hard for you to feel anything for anyone but yourself, then you are really letting the obsession ruin your life.
CC
:You saw it more when I first met Robin on beliefnet. When Robin talks about something else, he is actually articulate and cool.
I am actually articulate and cool when I talk about U*U injustices, abuses and hypocrisy to CC. I dare say that my UNSAFE SECT? picket sign slogan is a very articulate two-word zinger and some people think it's pretty cool too. That's just one small example. Plenty of non-U*Us think The Emerson Avenger blog is actually articulate and cool and I expect that some U*Us secretly think so too. . .
:He used to treat people pretty decently and talk about other things.
I still do CC, but it is quite unrealistic for you to expect me to treat hypocritical and abusive U*Us decently here when I have stated very clearly that I reserve the right to return abuse for abuse. Nor is it realistic for you to expect me to talk about other things here when this blog is explicitly devoted to dealing with U*U injustices, abuses and hypocrisy.
:A lot more people listened to him then.
A lot of people listen to me now CC. . .
:There was at least one lady who was calling him a prophet and various other thoughtful people admitted that there was probably a kernal of truth to what he had to say.
There's a lot more than just "a kernal of truth" to what I have to say here or elsewhere CC. In fact suggesting that there is only "a kernal of truth" to what I am saying about U*U injustices, abuses and hypocrisy is definitely *Minimizing*, if not Ignoring and Denying, some of the unethical practices of the U*Us aka DIM Thinking. . .
:He reminds me a lot of my grandmother, who felt a doctor cheated her when she was 83 and spent the remaining ten years of her life plotting revenge and refusing to talk about any other subject.
But I am not "plotting revenge" CC, and I quite regularly talk about plenty of other subjects. It is however quite unrealistic for you to expect me to wax eloquent about other subjects on this blog that is dedicated to dealing with the subject of U*U injustices, abuses and hypocrisy.
:She didn't have any proof and refused our advice on how to sound rational when making complaints,
Well I do have plenty of proof of most of the U*U injustices, abuses and hypocrisy that I am exposing and denouncing here CC and most people will agree that I sound very rational when making complaints. Except of course when I am deliberately taking the piss out of foolish U*Us by giving the U*Us what they so desperately want. . .
:so she never got anywhere and she died lonlier than she had to be because of her focus.
Well I have actually made new friends because of my focus on U*U injustices, abuses and hypocrisy CC.
:I remember going over to her house very depressed once. I told her this guy Mark and I had broken up and I was very sad because I'd really liked him and her response was "What do I care? A doctor cheated me three years ago!"
Obviously your grandmother was completely insensitive to your suffering and totally consumed by her own. Unless I get dementia or something that is unlikely to happen with me CC.
:When you get to the point that your obsession with your cause makes it hard for you to feel anything for anyone but yourself, then you are really letting the obsession ruin your life.
Indeed you are CC. Come to think of it CC, the U*U who so obsessively Deny, Ignore and Minimize the very real and very well documented U*U injustices, abuses and hypocrisy that I am protesting against are really letting their obsession ruin the reputation of the Unitarian Church of Montreal, that of the greater U*U "religious community" (or perhaps I should say the "tiny fringe religion" known as U*Uism) to say nothing of some aspects of their personal lives. . .