The Emerson Avenger

UUA Clergy Misconduct Policies & Procedures Are "A False Reassurance" To Clergy Misconduct Victims, To Say Nothing Of UUs More Generally. . .

2012-01-30T10:50:00.010-05:00

UUGRrrl has just posted a brand-spanking new blog post titled -

The Problem with UUA Web Pages on Misconduct

to her recently resurrected 'Speaking Truth To Power' blog which had been in hiatus for the better part of two years as a result of UUGrrl being thoroughly dis*illusioned by the UUA & MFC. . . Indeed UUGrrl had pretty well given up in disgust with the UUA's ongoing failure (if not outright refusal) to responsibly reform seriously flawed UUA & MFC policies and procedures for dealing with clergy sexual misconduct, to say nothing of non-sexual forms of UU clergy misconduct aka clergy abuse.

Anyone who is concerned with the negligent and effectively complicit manner in which the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations aka UUA and its all too aptly named Ministerial *Fellowship* Committee aka MFC respond to all manner of clergy misconduct, both clergy sexual misconduct and non-sexual clergy misconduct, should read this important UUGrrl blog post, as well as her past and future 'Speaking Truth To Power' blog posts. UUGrrl shows how much of what the UUA publicly claims on the official UUA web site "simply isn’t true" and how such "misleading" (mis)information constitute a "false reassurance to a person badly in need of real support. It also lacks humility — a quality UUs could probably use in general, but is particularly necessary when addressing misconduct." The Emerson Avenger would even go so far as to say that *some* of what is claimed on the the official UUA website with respect to its clergy misconduct policies and procedures is outright fraudulent in that top level UUA leaders, including several UUA Presidents, are perfectly aware that what it publicly proclaims "simply isn’t true", and constitutes a "false reassurance" not only to victims and survivors of UU clergy misconduct, but to Unitarian Universalists more generally, and indeed to the non-UU general public. . .

I will have more to say about this later but, for the time being, the "bad cop" of the UU World hereby refers you to the 'Speaking Truth To Power' blog of the "good cop" of the UU World known as UUGrrl.

Unitarian Universalism Is Indeed "The Uncommon Denomination" When It Comes To UUA (Mis)Handling Of Clergy Sexual Misconduct Cases

2012-01-28T10:08:00.024-05:00

And NOT in a positive sense at all. . .

Au contraire UUs, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations aka the UUA does a shamefully inadequate job of handling cases of clergy sexual misconduct, to say nothing of the UUA's even worse negligent and complicit mishandling of non-sexual forms of clergy misconduct aka clergy abuse.

But don't take *my* word for it UUs.

Take the word of a the person of inherent worth and dignity who posted the following comment to UUGrrl's 'Breaking the Silence Redux' blog post using the pseudonymous handle 'Another survivor of UU CSM' -

Thank you for resuming this most important work. Your voice brings hope to all those who struggle in silence — hope that others, fellow UUs and outsiders, may see that Unitarian Universalism is far from being the model denomination in handling cases of clergy sexual misconduct — hope that others might hear the call for justice and speak out, telling the powers that be that their treatment of survivors is unacceptable and demanding transparency and inclusion as the UUA leadership takes steps towards developing more humane processes.

end quote

If that recent testimony is not enough to convince you that Unitarian Universalism is FAR from being the model denomination in handling cases of clergy sexual misconduct I refer you to these words from the UUA's official apology to victims of UU clergy sexual misconduct which was delivered by the Executive Vice President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, Kay Montgomery, over a decade ago during the year 2000 UUA GA held in Nashville Tennessee -

"Let me say this as simply and unequivocally as I know how: the Association has largely failed the people most hurt by sexual misconduct, the victims and survivors. Other denominations have done better. These brave and bruised people have, more often than not I suspect, been left lonely, confused, afraid, angry and betrayed. Un-ministered to. . ."

Sadly, very little has changed for the better since UUA Vice President Kay Montgomery delivered that now questionably sincere official apology to UU clergy sexual misconduct victims and survivors. Kathleen C.* Montgomery concluded that official UUA apology with the following words -

I am profoundly sorry. And I pledge that this gap, this failure, will be remedied. This past year we experimented with a nascent advocacy program. Inspired by the Panel's report, we will change and learn and in this untended area, we will bend toward justice. "There is only us."

end quote

It seems that Kay Montgomery, along with the subsequent UUA administrations of Rev. William G. Sinkford and Rev. Peter Morales, have failed quite miserably to live up to aka honor and uphold the letter and the spirit of that "pledge" aka solemn promise. . .

Indeed UUGrrl writes -

As best I can tell, since 2001 the process for handling complaints has become, if anything, more inhumane. There is no longer any excuse for it. As one member said afterwards, “You can’t excuse the inexcusable.”

end quote

I hereby call upon UUA President Rev. Peter Morales to fire UUA Executive Vice President Kay Montgomery for her negligent and incompetent failure, if not her knowing and willful refusal. . . to actually live up to the promise of that effectively empty "pledge" to "bend towards justice" which she made on behalf of the UUA over a decade ago now. . . Ten long years have gone by and not only is there absolutely minimal positive change in how the UUA handles clergy misconduct complaints of all kinds but it would seem that *some* of the UUA's clergy misconduct policies and procedures are arguably "more inhumane" than they were a decade ago. Certainly there are some very serious flaws in the UUA's process for handling clergy misconduct complaints that have never been responsibly reformed and corrected, in spite of the fact that both the Bill Sinkford and Peter Morales UUA administrations, and the UUA Board of Trustess, have been repeatedly reminded about these systemic injustices built into the UUA's clergy misconduct process which are most certainly NOT in alignment with the claimed principles and purposes of Unitarian Universalism aka the The Uncommonly Hypocritical Denomination.

* C. as in "See no evil" perhaps?

UUA Clergy Sexual Misconduct Policies & Procedures Are Inexcusably Inhumane

2012-01-27T08:45:00.014-05:00

But don't take *my* word for it UUs, take the word of UU clergy sexual misconduct victim, and CSM victims advocate, UUgrrl, as posted to the brand-spanking new 'Breaking the Silence Redux' blog post of her recently resurrected 'Speaking Truth To Power' blog which has been on hiatus for a couple of years.

It is with both "joy and trepidation" that UUgrrl has restarted her archived 'Speaking Truth To Power' blog and, in her first new post in about two years, she writes -

As best I can tell, since 2001 the process for handling (UU clergy misconduct) complaints has become, if anything, more inhumane. There is no longer any excuse for it. As one member (of UUgrrl's UU congregation) said afterwards, “You can’t excuse the inexcusable."

end quote

UUgrrl goes on to blog -

I realized that (to my knowledge) I’m the only survivor of UU clergy sexual misconduct who speaks up. I’ve never thought of it this way before.

I’m also, to my knowledge, the only survivor of UU CSM who has widespread support — my ministers, our director of religious education, old friends, new friends, family, other UU ministers around the country, and now the better part of a good-sized congregation.

Compare that to other victims and survivors of UU CSM. The overwhelming majority have either left Unitarian Universalism or hide their history. And they have good cause. The risks of speaking up are enormous: marriages broken, careers destroyed, public humiliation, and so on.

Put this all together, and a few days ago it dawned on me that I have a moral obligation to speak out. Victims and survivors of UU clergy sexual misconduct have got to have a voice. If those of us who can speak up don’t, will the UUA leadership ever do the right thing?

Who else will hold their feet to the fire?

end quote

To answer UUgrrl's final question. . .

The Emerson Avenger is rather more inclined to light a proverbial fire aka hold a Big Fat U*U Flaming Chalice under the hypocritical U*U asses of those negligent and/or incompetent UUA leaders who are directly or indirectly responsible for the fact that UUA policies and procedures for handling clergy misconduct complaints of all kinds are inexcusably inhumane to borrow a couple of choice words from UUgrrl.

Needless to say, The Emerson Avenger looks forward to UUgrrl's future 'Speaking truth To Power' blog posts which will most likely explain, in her well informed opinion, precisely *how* the UUA and MFC policies and procedures for handling UU clergy misconduct complaints have become "more inhumane" than they were about a decade ago. . . Certainly there has been very little real improvement to these policies and procedures, some of which are clearly NOT in alignment with the First and Second Principles of Unitarian Universalism which ostensibly "affirm and promote" "the inherent worth and dignity of every person" and "justice, equity and compassion in human relations."

Is UUA Trustee Reverend Clyde Grubbs A Big Fat U*U Communist Nut?!!

2012-01-22T07:40:00.010-05:00

It would appear that some person of inherent worth and dignity from Boston, Massachusetts, was just asking Google last night. . .
This person's free and (ir)responsible Google search for the Truth and meaning of whether or not *the* Reverend Clyde Grubbs is a "communist nut" led them to my November 2009 blog post titled -

Is Rev. Clyde Grubbs *Really* Suggesting That U*U Ministerial Candidates Are Victims Of Abuse Meted Out By The Regional Sub-Committees On Candidacy?!!

which doesn't even contain the words 'Communist' or 'nut'. . . but *does* call into question Rev. Clyde Grubbs' rather nutty assertion that many UU seminarian "survivors" of the MFC's RSC's aka the Ministerial *Fellowship* Committee's Regional SubCommittee(s) On Candidacy "enter (Unitarian Universalist) ministry resentful" "like child abuse victims" "and regard the good people who serve on the RSCs and MFC as "strangers," "people with their own agendas" yadda yadda yadda.

So that particular Emerson Avenger blog post didn't provide a satisfactory answer to the "Is Reverend Clyde Grubbs a Communist?" part of the question "Is Reverend Clyde Grubbs a Communist nut?", although it *might* have shed some light on the "Is Reverend Clyde Grubbs a nut?" part. . .

Without further ado here are some answers to the "Is Reverend Clyde Grubbs a Communist?" bit -

:Baku KOMMUNIST in Azeri on 8 December 1984 carries on page 2 a 100-word Azerinform report on the visit of an American Communist Party delegation to Baku. The delegation was headed by Clyde Grubbs.
The delegation visited the 50th Anniversary of the Azerbaijan Komsomol machine- building factory, the manuscript collection of the AzSSR Academy of Sciences and the historical architectural complex in the Inner City. "R.A. Mehdiyev, secretary of the AzCP Central Committee, received the delegation

On November 15-16 1991, 30 dissident members of the National Committee of the Communist Party USA convened a meeting to "sign a statement of events" - most or all signatories were soon to break with the party and were later to form Committees of Correspondence. The signatories included Clyde Grubbs, Massachusetts[3];

In 1991, Clyde Grubbs, Massachusetts, was one of several hundred Communist Party USA members to sign the a paper "An initiative to Unite and Renew the Party" - most signatories left the Party after the December 1991 conference to found Committees of Correspondence.[4]

Sources: Key Wiki for Clyde Grubbs and this PDF file courtesy of the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC®)

So it would seem that, at least in the 1980s and 1990s, Rev. Clyde Grubbs was in fact a card-carrying member of the Communist Party Of America and was even a reputed "Communist Reformer" who wanted to "Unite and Renew the Party".

Regardless of whether or not Rev. Clyde Grubbs is *still* a Communist I guess those credentials make him a shoe in to be a Board member aka Trustee of "The Church Of The Far Left".

No U*Us?

UUA Trustee Linda Laskowski Gets An "Electronic Communication" From The Emerson Avenger

2012-01-21T10:22:00.013-05:00

In the form of the following comment that I just submitted in response to the 'New Orleans Bound' post of Linda Laskowski's moderated aka censored 'UUA View from Berkeley' blog -

:The Board meeting starts Wednesday, so many of us are going a few days early to work with the Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal.

You and other UUA Trustees might be very well advised to ask yourselves just how ethical it was (and is. . .) for all of you to all but totally ignore the very serious concerns about systemic injustices built into the UUA's clergy misconduct policies and procedures that I shared with you the better part of two years ago now during the April 2010 UUA Board meetings.

I am confident that most people will agree that UUA Trustees have behaved in a "less than ethical" manner in not only doing little or nothing to address those legitimate concerns but in refusing to so much as acknowledge receipt of my follow-up emails about those and other concerns.

Why has the UUA Board of Trustees failed, indeed apparently refused. . . to respond in responsibility to the Spirit of my demands that the UUA & MFC must take steps to ensure that a genuinely just and equitable appeals process is properly established for any and all UU clergy misconduct complainants who have reasonable grounds to call into question the justice and equity of UUA & MFC rulings that arbitrarily dismiss, unjustly reject, or otherwise unjustly and unfairly deal with their legitimate clergy misconduct complaints?

Unitarian Universalist Irresponsibility Towards People Of Inherent Worth & Dignity Beyond UU Walls And Within The Walls Of Dysfunctional UU "Churches"

2012-01-21T09:54:00.019-05:00

Rev. David Pyle, the Assistant Minister for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura, California, as well as a U.S. Army Reserve Chaplain, has refused to publish the following comment that I submitted to the 'Our Responsibility to those Beyond Our Walls' blog post on his Celestial Lands blog earlier today because he feels that part or all of it is "beneath" me. Quite evidently I do not share Rev. Pyle's apparently deeply help personal conviction that what some might call this "prophetic work" is beneath me, far from it really.

I have added some hyperlinks to supporting material that were not in the original comment -

: In this paper Rev. Morales makes several arguments, such as how an expanded understanding of UU identity and connection would be beneficial to congregations, in that it would “lower the walls between our congregations and the larger world”.

Unitarian Universalists seem to be only too happy to create their own walls between their insular and isolated UU congregations and the larger world aka the real world. How many times have I heard people complaining about the anti-Christian and broader anti-religious intolerance and bigotry that seems to be quite pervasive throughout the so-called UU World? Although *some* UUA leaders have tried to minimize this serious problem I am quite sure that it was, and still is, a major contributing factor to Unitarian Universalism being "a tiny, declining, fringe religion", to quote some choice words from Rev. Peter Morales' sermon cum "stump speech" announcing his candidacy for UUA President. How many times have I seen intolerant and abusive UUs, including "less than perfect" UU clergy, ranting against Republicans and other political conservatives? Quite frankly I am surprised that there are still some Republican members of UU congregations remaining in light of just how unwelcome they are in most UU congregations. I have been pointing at these walls that UUs erect for years now, indeed over a decade now when it comes to UU anti-religious intolerance and bigotry, yet UUA leaders all but completely refuse to address these serious issues in a forthright and responsible manner. I dare say that UUA President Peter Morales is a major part of that problem in that he is quite evidently NOT part of the solution at the moment. The same may be said for UUA Moderator Gini Courter and most UUA Trustees. . .

: And yet, his argument in this article was reminiscent of all too many conversations I have had with lay-leaders in congregations across 9 states who have told me that they were interested in “growth” to “meet a budget” or “be able to hire a minister”, or “build a building”, or for some other practical, if often nebulous, expectation that growth is something we are supposed to do.

What do you suppose the UUA itself primarily wants growth for David? Here's a clue. . . balance the UUA's dwindling budget, be able to support UU ministers, and buy or build new buildings. It's all about the money and "practical" things as far as I can see David.

: Our world is desperately in need of the saving message of Unitarian Universalism.

Forgive me for saying so David but I almost fall out of my chair laughing whenever I see a UU spouting this UUA propaganda. What "saving message of Unitarian Universalism" may I ask? The one that Unitarian Universalists emptily and insincerely, if not outright fraudulently. . . "preach" while abjectly failing, and even obstinately refusing. . . to actually *practice*? From what I have seen over the last decade and a half or more Unitarian Universalists can't even "save" the UU World from itself, let alone "save" the real world. . . If the real world *really* "desperately" needed Unitarian Universalism there would be a lot more than a paltry 160,000 adult UUs and Unitarian Universalism would not be the "tiny, declining, fringe religion" that it currently quite evidently is.

: Let us find any way we can to bring people to the point where they can say, in their hearts and with their voices, “I am a Unitarian Universalist”… and to know what that means.

I wonder how many of today's card-carrying adult Unitarian Universalists can say “I am a Unitarian Universalist” and actually know what that means? Not many in my estimation David. In my experience and observation over the last decade and a half Unitarian Universalists, including far too many UU ministers and top level UUA leaders, have repeatedly, indeed quite continuously. . . made a total mockery of pretty much everything that Unitarian Universalism claims to be in its definitely empty and insincere, and *apparently* quite fraudulent, religious propaganda.

A Female SPVM Police Officer Kindly Asks The Emerson Avenger If He Is Cold While Doing His "Alternative Spiritual Practice" aka "Prophetic Work"

2012-01-16T09:28:00.013-05:00

Of protesting against UU anti-religious intolerance and bigotry, UU negligence toward (and complicity in...) all kinds of UU clergy misconduct, and various other UU injustices and abuses, in front of the so-called self-described "Unitarian Church Of Montreal" yesterday, Sunday January 15th, 2012.

The caption for the above U*UTube video reads -

An SPVM patrol car slowly drives past me on de Maisonneuve Boulevard while I am shooting an explanatory video clip about my protest in front of the Unitarian Church Of Montreal on Sunday January 15, 2012. A female police officer riding in the passenger seat rolls down the window and kindly asks me if I am cold.

end quote

It seems to me that by politely, and seemingly quite sincerely*, asking me if I am suffering from the cold weather while engaging in my peaceful public protest on front of the alleged Unitarian Church Of Montreal yesterday, and not intervening in any other way at all, this female SPVM police officer (to say nothing of her partner who was driving the patrol car) was more or less affirming and promoting my inherent worth and dignity, as well as respecting my constitutionally guaranteed right to engage in "non-violent direct action" aka peaceful public protest in front of this alleged Unitarian Church. At least three different SPVM police vehicles passed by the Unitarian Church Of Montreal while I was protesting yesterday and not one of them bothered to stop and intervene in any way. In fact, over the course of this long term protest, the vast majority of SPVM police officers who have answered complaint calls from Montreal Unitarians or otherwise intervened in my protest have shown rather more respect for my inherent worth and dignity than most Montreal Unitarians have. . .

Only a minority of irresponsible and incompetent "cowboys", such as Sergeant Detective Scott Darragh for *example*, have over-stepped the not inconsiderable authority invested in them by the Montreal public with various forms of police harassment and intimidation. I have been protesting in front of the Unitarian Church of Montreal for over 13 years now and, over the course of that whole time period, I can only think of about eight or so occasions when SPVM police officers have behaved in an overly-authoritarian, intimidating, or otherwise unprofessional or incompetent manner. Of those occasions there were really only three comparatively serious ones which caused me to seriously consider filing a formal complaint against the SPVM officers involved in them with the Quebec Police Ethics Commission aka Commissaire à la déontologie policière. In the end I only filed one complaint against Sergeant Detective Scott Darragh for unjustifiably and aggressively threatening me with another arrest during a meeting that I had with him and Lieutenant Sylvain Boisvert at Station 11 in June 2010. With the help of Mouvement Action Justice my complaint against Sergeant Detective Scott Darragh was resolved to my satisfaction early last October during a conciliation meeting with him held at the offices of the Quebec Police Ethics Commission in Old Montreal.

That's all for now. . .

i.e. I did not detect any hint or tone of sarcastic or condescending feigned concern in this SPVM police officer's words to me.

Martin Luther King Day & The Emerson Avenger's "Alternative Spiritual Practice" Of Non-Violent Direct Action aka Peaceful Public Protest

2012-01-16T08:38:00.006-05:00

What's the connection U*Us?

Chicagoland Unitarian Universalist Patrick Murfin has posted quite a good piece about Martin Luther King Day on his 'Heretic, Rebel, a Thing to Flout' blog titled 'What Pisses Me Off About Martin Luther King Day' that in *some* ways relates to what Unitarian Universalist clergy misconduct expert Rev. Deborah Pope-Lance once referred to as my "alternative spiritual practice" and what another respected Unitarian Universalist minister, who is very well acquainted with the UUA's negligent and effectively complicit responses to clergy misconduct, much more recently referred to as my "prophetic work".

Patrick Murfin concludes his "rant" with the following words -

"Let’s celebrate him (i.e. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) and them (i.e. thousands of other "ordinary" civil rights activists) by rededicating ourselves to standing up as they did, by putting our bodies, when necessary, on the line to achieve his true dream of an equitable and just society."

Here is how I responded to Patrick's words -

You mean like how I put my body on the proverbial "picket line" in doing the "prophetic work" of my "alternative spiritual practice"* in front of the Unitarian Church Of Montreal on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday yesterday, to say nothing of too many previous Sundays since starting my peaceful public protest against UU injustices and abuses the spring of 1998?

* Dare I say my "spiritual discipline"?

I think I do. . .

The Unitarian Church Of Montreal Gets A Free Panoramic Photograph On Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday 2012 Courtesy Of The Emerson Avenger

2012-01-15T13:39:00.015-05:00

The above panoramic photograph of The Emerson Avenger's picket signs displayed in front of the Unitarian Church Of Montreal Sunday January 15, 2012 was taken with a Sony Alpha A35 DSLR using the built in panoramic photography function. I think that the Sony A35 does quite a good job of taking high quality panoramic photographs of static objects like the corpse-cold Unitarian Church Of Montreal.

Click your mouse on this high quality panoramic photograph of the Unitarian Church Of Montreal aka The Church Of The Tarnished Image to view a much larger resolution version of it.

Two Montreal pedestrians walk past The Emerson Avenger's picket signs displayed in front of the Unitarian Church Of Montreal Sunday January 15, 2012

In The A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Department. . . To Say Nothing Of The Montreal Police Department aka The SPVM

2012-01-08T14:36:00.021-05:00

Here is a boring but educational digital photograph that I took of "The Church Of The Tarnished Image" aka The Unitarian Church Of Montreal earlier today. . .

Not really an auspicious start to Rev. Carole Martignacco's temporary fill-in ministry at the Unitarian Church of Montreal, while Rev. Diane Rollert is away on "sabbatical" in the Philippines, is it U*Us?

Here are a couple of U*UTube videos I shot that provide some explanation of this totally unnecessary intervention by SPVM police officers from Station 11. I did not bother shooting any video of my actual conversation with these police officers although I probably could have in light of the fact that the one who spoke to me the most specifically claimed that he had no problem with me taking photographs and videos of my protest, as should be the case for ALL police officers AFA*I*AC. . . He *did* say that if I put my videos to "bad use" that Montreal Unitarians could take civil action against me, so I responded that I intend to put any documentary photos and videos of my protests that I shoot to "good use". . .

The Unitarian Church Of Montreal Is The Very Model Of Modern Unitarian Universalist Institutionalized Narcissism. . .

2012-01-07T18:18:00.019-05:00

But don't take *my* word U*Us. . .

Take the word of the Unitarian Church Of Montreal's very own not so *settled* minister Rev. Diane Olenick Rollert, as posted in a comment responding to Rev. Peter C. Boullata's 'Held In The Light' blog post *entitled* 'The Liberal Church Finding Its Mission: It’s Not About You' in which he proclaims,

"Oh dear God, it’s true. We have institutionalized narcissism."

Here is Rev. Diane Rollert's comment verbatim -

Way to go, Peter! You’re going viral here. I’m leaving on sabbatical on Tuesday and am secretly praying that I’ll return in April to find a congregation transformed by your charge. Amen to spiritual discipline. You’ve got our attention. What’s next?

end quote

Well "what's next" as far as The Emerson Avenger is concerned is revealed in the comment that I just submitted in response to *the* Rev. Diane Rollert's comment. . . No doubt Rev. Peter C. Boullata's "aversion addiction" to The Emerson Avenger's public criticism of Unitarian Universalist hypocrites in general, and outrageously hypocritical UU clergy in particular. . . will ensure that my comment will be "awaiting moderation" indefinitely -

ROTFLMU*UO!

Way to go Peter indeed. . .

The "less than perfect" not so *settled* minister of what is almost certainly one of the most stunningly narcissistic Unitarian Universalist churches in the whole wide UU World *seems* to be publicly acknowledging the Unitarian Church of Montreal's shameful narcissism in saying, "(I) am secretly praying that I’ll return in April to find a congregation transformed by your charge."

Good luck with that Rev. Rollert. . .

Do you *really* expect your temporary fill-in Rev. Carole Martignacco to somehow magically transform the stunningly narcissistic Unitarian "Church" of Montreal into a spiritually disciplined UU church within the three short months that you will be away on sabbatical in the Philippines when you have quite obviously failed to do so in the several years that you have been the minister of the "Institutionalized Narcissism" of Montreal?

You have had plenty of opportunity to deal with the narcissism, to say nothing of the glaringly obvious hubris. . . of the Unitarian "Church" of Montreal and have not only abjectly failed to do so but have quite evidently chosen the fate of being an enabler of the narcissism, hubris and outrageous hypocrisy of Montreal Unitarians.

Be assured that I will still be engaging in the "spiritual discipline" that Rev. Deborah Pope-Lance once called my "alternative spiritual practice", and another respected UU minister (who is *very* aware of the UUA's negligent and complicit responses to all manner of clergy misconduct) much more recently called my "prophetic work", while you are on sabbatical in the Philippines leaving a hapless Rev. Carole Martignacco holding the proverbial bag. . .

Even before seeing your comment here I was tempted to make a brand-spanking new picket sign slogan saying -

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST NARCISSISM SUCKS U*U

to display during my "Sunday Constitutional" outside the Institutionalized Narcissism Of Montreal while you are away but your comment here just gave me the push to go ahead and do it. . . I may even print up with some other new picket sign slogans inspired by Peter's words here like -

WELCOME TO THE INSTITUTIONALIZED NARCISSISM OF MONTREAL

or how about -

IS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM INSTITUTIONALIZED NARCISSISM?

Bon Voyage Diane.

See you in April. . .

First Unitarian Church Of Norton, Massachusetts Is The Fastest Growing Unitarian Universalist Church In The Whole Wide UU World!

2012-01-07T12:54:00.011-05:00

In fact the membership of the First Unitarian Church Of Norton MA has grown a whopping 1500% or so since Rev. Christana Wille-McKnight "turned things around" in 2011!

That's the good news for UUs. . .

The not so good news for UUs is that the only reason that the First Unitarian Church Of Norton's membership has grown by a seemingly astonishing 1500 percent in about a year or so is that, not so long ago, its membership was down to "just two elderly people", according to this Boston.com article titled 'Norton church gets back in the Christmas business'. Thus this once truly tiny church of the Tiny Declining Fringe Religion™ rejoins the ranks of those numerous Unitarian Univeralist churches that have well under 100 members. . .

Maybe the UUA would be well advised to responsibly examine *why* the membership of First Unitarian Church Of Norton declined to "just two elderly people" so as to actually learn something from that rather embarrassing UU history in order not to repeat it. . .

In the meantime Rev. Christana Wille-McKnight seems to have at least temporarily resurrected this all but literally corpse-cold Unitarian church.

Unitarian Universalism Is One Big Fat U*U Codependent System. . .

2012-01-05T16:28:00.006-05:00

But don't take *my* word for it U*Us.

Take Rev. Tony Lorenzen's word for it.

As posted to his Sunflower Chalice blog in a brand spanking new blog post entitled 'Unitarian Universalism as One Big Codependent System'.

Here are some choice quotes from it but I recommend reading the whole blog post from start to finish. . .

"I think we need to seriously consider Unitarian Universalism, the Unitarian Universalist Association at large and certainly most of our individual congregations as Codependent family systems. We have addicts – people with aversion addictions to Christianity, certainly, but also to spirituality, and spiritual and religious language. The entire structure of Unitarian Universalism colludes to support this addiction."

"The ministry, the religious educators, the national staff and leadership have for too long been enablers of the aversion addiction. We, the leaders of Unitarian Universalism have created a codependent and culture. We collude with the aversion addicts to keep religious language neutral, leave theology out of our church life, and not demand spiritual discipline or disciplines. If we were to insist on such things, the church family system would blow up in anxiety."

"We have lost much of our ability to deal with this addiction because we have become largely codependent. We are not a place where people holding differing religious views are welcome. If that were true, I wouldn’t be writing this. We are a generally a place where people holding some different religious beliefs except Christianity, which is ironically our roots and history, are welcome."

And here is the comment that I posted in response to something Rev. Tony Lorenzen said that echoes what I have been saying for well over a decade now. . .

"If someone needs to be a community where there is never any mention of God, no one ever prays and religion itself is thought to be for lesser people, let’s be honest and tell them they don’t belong in our congregations."

Amen. . .

BTW I have been saying this for over a decade now Tony.

And then Unitarian Universalists wonder why Unitarian Universalism is "a tiny, declining, fringe religion". . .

Unitarian Universalism Is Narcissism In Institutional Form

2012-01-04T13:41:00.009-05:00

But don't take *my* word for it U*Us. . .

Take the word of The Reverend Peter C. Boullata, minister of First Parish Lexington Unitarian Universalist church, as posted in Peter's 'The Liberal Church Finding Its Mission: It’s Not About You' blog post on his 'Held In The Light' blog -

"Oh dear God, it’s true. We have institutionalized narcissism. Here was a person that was not involved in a Unitarian Universalist church, and yet knew something about us. As an outsider, the message he received about what we stand for is: It’s about whatever you want it to be about. It’s all about you."

end quote

As if *that* was not enough Rev. Boullata goes on to say -

"The ever-present narcissism enshrined in our congregations spawns entitlement and complaint rather than engagement and curiosity because, well, you’re not giving me what I want!"

Not that the "ever-present narcissism" that is "enshrined" in Unitarian Universalist congregations is the only thing that spawns complaint. I mean there *are* some perfectly legitimate reasons to complain about Unitarian Universalist "churches", not the least of these things being the "ever-present narcissism" itself.

Rev. Peter Boullata goes on to write -

Inasmuch as Unitarian Universalist communities continue to neglect discernment, theology, discipline, spiritual practice, faith formation, vocation and engagement with our historic testimonies and tradition, we will never be a missional religious movement.

end quote

Needless to say the glaringly obvious subtext of that quote is that, at least in Rev. Peter Boullata's opinion, Unitarian Universalist "churches" do in fact neglect discernment, theology, discipline, spiritual practice, faith formation, vocation and engagement with the historic testimonies and tradition of Unitarianism and Universalism, not that I couldn't add a few things to that list of Unitarian Universalist negligence. . .

It seems that Rev. Boullata's blog post has some resonance with Unitarian Universalists in general, and Unitarian Universalist clergy in particular, in light of the fact that, so far, it has had well over 80 comments posted in response to it.

More later. . .

Anorexia Nervosa And Anti-Christian Intolerance And Bigotry In The Tiny Declining Fringe Religion™ What's The Connection?

2012-01-04T10:54:00.008-05:00

Rev. Tony Lorenzen, the Christian Universalist UU minister who recently resigned as the minister of Pathways Unitarian Universalist Church in Southlake, Texas, has just posted a brand-spanking new blog post about the anti-Christian "bad attitude" that is so prevalent amongst Unitarian Universalists titled 'Unitarian Universalist attitudes towards Christianity as Aversion Addiction'. Even though I am not entirely convinced by Rev. Lorenzen's thesis that the anti-Christian intolerance and bigotry found throughout the Unitarian Universalist "church" is a form of aversion addiction such as anorexia nervosa, I would none-the-less strongly recommend that any person of inherent worth and dignity who is concerned about this issue should read Rev. Tony's blog post and enter into a free and responsible search for its Truth and meaning. There is much that rings True in Tony's words even if they are not 100% correct.

Rev. Lorenzen writes -

Aversion addiction is when we are compulsive in our repulsion or rejection of things. May says “We often call these repulsions by other names: phobias, prejudices, bigotries, resistances, or allergies.” He describes aversion addiction as a mirror image of addictions that most of us are familiar with:

“Instead of tolerance, where we can’t get enough of a thing, we experience intolerance, where no matter how little of a thing we have it is still too much.”

end quote

This concept certainly applies quite well to the reactionary anti-Christian, and indeed more broadly anti-religious, "bad attitude" that many Unitarian Universalists engage in. I have only half-jokingly said that the "Theophobic" fundamentalist atheist Unitarian Universalists I have had the misfortune to encounter are amongst the most "God-fearing" people I know, and have remarked that these Theophobic UUs are positively allergic to not only Christianity but any "God Talk" whatsoever. As Rev. Lorenzen puts it -

There are plenty of people in our congregations who, no matter how little Jesus is mentioned, the word God is used or the Bible referenced, it is too much. There seems to be little or no understanding that all Christianity is not biblical fundamentalism and there are ways to freely follow Jesus down a largely non-dogmatic road and see what his spiritual teachings say about how we should live. There is no good news at all here, no grace, only bad news.

end quote

More later. . .

Rev. Tony Lorenzen Resigned From Pathways UU Church But He Didn’t Molest Anyone And Wasn’t Cheating On His Wife With A Congregation Member

2011-12-29T16:46:00.013-05:00

He didn't steal any money from the congregation either.

But don't take *my* word for it U*Us. . .

Take Rev. Tony Lorenzen's word for it, as posted to the 'A Pastor’s Christmas as a Civilian' post of his Sunflower Chalice blog.

According to Rev. Lorenzen, he left Pathways Unitarian Universalist Church in Southlake, Texas, because he has "a deep sense of mission grounded in Universalist Christian theology and the congregation did not". . . I am somewhat surprised that Rev. Tony was unable to figure that fact out himself from Pathways Church's "Mission Statement" published on its website *before* he decided to become its minister three years ago. . .

"You are welcome at Pathways Church regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, income, or ability. Here we welcome all colors of the human race, all people of good will, whether you are Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Pagan, Mystic, Atheist, Agnostic or Humanist; young or old; single or partnered; gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight; transgender, intersex, male or female; disabled or temporarily abled. Here, we know you bring your own unique gifts to this community."

Funny how Rev. Tony Lorenzen has come to the conclusion that his own unique gifts of the Christian Universalist variety are not a good fit with Pathways Church's publicly proclaimed inclusiveness.

No U*Us?

What is even funnier is that in asserting that -

"There was no scandal, I didn’t molest anyone, I didn’t steal any money, and I wasn’t cheating on my wife with a member of the congregation."

Rev. Tony Lorenzen lists a few of the other reasons why *some* "less than perfect" Unitarian Universalist clergy are allowed to quietly resign from their UU congregation, and even to discreetly "move on" to serve yet another Unitarian Universalist "church". . . Hell, everybody knows that *some* entitled Unitarian Universalist ministers, like Rev. Dr. Forrest Church for just one Big Fat U*U *Example*, can even get away with cheating on their wife with a member of their congregation and not even have to resign as the minister of their prominent Unitarian Universalist Church.

And so it goes U*Us. . .

Unitarian Universalists Stand Against Inequality, Injustice, Or Hate, Regardless Of Their Rational?!! Coulda Fooled Me U*Us. . .

2011-12-28T15:30:00.009-05:00

I a blog post titled - WHY WE FEEL THE LATE CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS WOULD NOT DEFINE #UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM AS A RELIGION: the anonymous UU sub-group calling themselves WE ARE UU! and UU Jihad which, needless to say. . . is not to be confused with U*U Jihad*, has proclaimed that Unitarian Universalists "accept anyone who will stand with us against inequality, injustice, or hate, regardless of their rational."

Needless to say this assertion does NOT stand up to the scrutiny of good old Unitarian Reason, hence The Emerson Avenger's comment posted in response to that misleading statement -

"We accept anyone who will stand with us against inequality, injustice, or hate, regardless of their rational."

You know perfectly well this is not True and that Unitarian Universalists all too often find themselves standing on the side of hate as it were. . .

I have been very rationally standing against UU inequalities, UU injustices, and UU hate, since at least 1996 and UUs have gone to extreme lengths to try to censor and suppress my legitimate criticism and dissent, even going so far as to have me falsely arrested on totally bogus criminal charges that I was subsequently rightly acquitted of when the Crown Prosecutor could not even come close to proving a single one of the four or five points of law that he needed to prove "beyond any reasonable doubt" in order to obtain a conviction.

UUs have repeatedly and quite continuously made a total mockery of the claimed principles and purposes of Unitarian Universalism for the better part of two decades now and no doubt were every bit as hypocritical before I came along. . .

end quote

* Even if The Emerson Avenger gets a Big Fat U*U Chuckle out of the fact that UU Jihad *can* be confU*Used with his glorious U*U Jihad Armed Farces :-)

Shame On You Unitarian Universalist AssHats Who Are Living In A State Of Big Fat U*U Denial Of Unitarian Universalist Clergy Misconduct. . .

2011-12-23T13:12:00.009-05:00

Last night I received the following comment on this U*UTube video of my 2009 protest in Ottawa, Ontario, during the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Convocation from a young Unitarian Universalist atheist going by the YouTube handle inquiry10 -

shame on you

Here is how I responded to that comment -

Sorry but if anyone should be ashamed it should be UUs.

My protest is entirely justified by the egregious anti-religious intolerance and bigotry that I and far too many other people have been subjected to by Unitarian Universalists in general, and Unitarian Universalist clergy in particular. And then there is the UUA's truly lamentable response to ALL manner of clergy misconduct including UU clergy sexual misconduct. . .

Shame on you for having the gall to say "shame on you" to me...

and this follow-up comment -

I hereby formally and publicly challenge you to come back here and try to justify your quite unjustified "shame on you" comment inquiry10. If you are unready, unwilling, or just plain unable to do so the Big Fat U*U Shame will be on you. . . :-)

It will be interesting to see if inquiry10 has the Big Fat U*U Audacity to come back and justify his attempt to publicly shame me. . .

David Caton President Of The Florida Family Association And Rev. Peter Morales President Of The Unitarian Universalist Association. . .

2011-12-17T12:13:00.006-05:00

What's the connection?

Or perhaps I should ask - What's the difference?

Herewith, without further ado, is the comment that I just posted in response to Rev. Cynthia Landrum's 'The Lowe Moment' blog post which publicly criticizes David Caton, president of the Florida Family Association, for his alleged or actual "anti-Muslim rhetoric" and "hate-mongering" bigotry etc. etc. -

I regret to have to say so Rev. Cyn, but much of the strong public criticism that you are hereby leveling at David Caton, president of the Florida Family Association, *could* be just as justifiably directed at Rev. Peter Morales, president of *your* Unitarian Universalist Association Of Congregations. . . David Caton's "anti-Muslim rhetoric" that you take issue with here is not all *that* different from the "anti-Muslim rhetoric"* that Rev. Peter Morales spouted in his sermon cum "stump speech" announcing his candidacy for President of the UUA, but at least David Caton doesn't have the gall to number Islam amongst alleged "obsolete religions". . . How does David Caton's assertion that a Muslim "is a follower of Islam and a follower of Islam believes in radicalization, the use of Sharia law, which provides for honor killings, mutilation of women and numerous other atrocities to women" differ so much from Rev. Peter Morales' assertion that Islam (and other alleged "obsolete religions" like Judaism and Christianity. . .) "lead to tribalism, violence, suspicion, hatred, and oppression" and "contribute to the darkness" of "hatred, injustice, prejudice, ignorance"? I would even suggest that the "anti-Muslim rhetoric" which Rev. Peter Morales' spouted in his "stump speech" paints Islam with a somewhat broader image tarnishing brush than that of your alleged "hate-mongering" bigot David Caton. . .

You are accusing David Caton of being "a religious extremist" who "can't believe that moderates within other religions exist." One who "paints a caricature of Muslims and then claims that anyone who doesn't look like his caricature isn't Muslim, and that moderate, peaceful Islam doesn't exist." Didn't Rev. Peter Morales do pretty much the same thing in his "stump speech" Rev. Cyn? Heck Rev. Peter Morales didn't even have the decency to leave moderate American Muslims the "out" of not being *real* Muslims if they don't look like *his* entirely negative caricature of Islam.

Am I wrong Rev. Cyn?

Where does UUA President Peter Morales leave room for "moderate, peaceful Islam" when he publicly slams ALL of Islam as an "obsolete religion" that leads to "tribalism, violence, suspicion, hatred, and oppression" and contributes to "the darkness" of "hatred, injustice, prejudice, ignorance"?

Forgive me for throwing your well meant words back at you Rev. Cyn but I expect that the Muslims on All-American Muslim are more more peaceful, more American, and without a shadow of a doubt more *Godly* than Rev. Peter Morales and his organization. . . AFA*I*AC Rev. Peter Morales' public statements spouted in his "stump speech" announcing his candidacy for President of the UUA are a disgrace to the faith of *real* Unitarian Universalists, yet all too real Unitarian Universalists went ahead and democratically elected Rev. Peter Morales the president of *their* Association.

What does *that* say about 21st Century Unitarian Universalists Rev. Cyn?

I can assure you that Rev. Peter Morales is not the only Unitarian Universalist U*U to display anti-Muslim, anti-Christian, or other anti-religious intolerance and bigotry in his or her words and actions. Far from it. . . How is it that David Caton's anti-Muslim rhetoric causes you to number him amongst "hate-mongering bigots" but UUA President Peter Morales' even broader anti-Muslim rhetoric apparently gets a pass from you and most if not all other Unitarian Universalists?

And yes Rev. Cyn, I fully expect that *I* would take Dearborn Muslims over Rev. Peter Morales and his All-American Unitarian Universalists as *my* neighbors and friends, any day. . . because Rev. Peter Morales, other "like-minded" U*U "hate-mongering bigots" (such as Rev. Ray Drennan just for starters), and those numerous (ahem) *chicken-hearted* Unitarian Universalists who happily tolerate, and even expressly condone and outright whitewash, ALL manner of U*U intolerance and bigotry, have repeatedly proven that they are no friends of mine. . .

Sincerely,

Robin Edgar aka The Emerson Avenger

* To say nothing of Rev. Peter Morales' anti-Jewish, anti-Christian, and more broadly anti-religious rhetoric. . .

P.S. The Blogger Word Verification Code for this comment is quite appropriately -

undue

Standing On The Side Of Love Clergy Shirts aka Clericals Are Hideous And Sectarian And Speak Of Deep Inauthenticity aka Big Fat UU Fraudulence. . .

2011-12-16T20:12:00.012-05:00

Butt don't take *my* word for it U*Us.

Take Big Fat U*U Clergy Blogger Rev. Scott Wells' word for it. . .

As posted to the “OH, GOD, NO!”** blog post of his 'Boy In The Bands' blog reproduced below verbatim -

“OH, GOD, NO!”

This is exactly what I cried aloud — unironically — when I first saw the Standing on the Side of Love clergy shirt. Hideous and sectarian. Speaks of deep inauthenticity. Clericals are not a costume to be pulled out for dramatic effect, and certainly not shock value.

end quote

The Emerson Avenger waits with baited breath to see what Rev. Scott Wells' very good friend Rev. Victoria Weinstein aka "Vicky The Impaler" has to say about Standing On The Side Of Love clergy shirts on her Peacebang's Beauty Tips For Ministers blog. . .

Speaking of Vicki The Impaler. . .

The Emerson Avenger simply cannot restrain himself from parodying Rev. Scott Wells' "less than flattering" review of Standing On The Side Of Love clergy shirts aka clericals thusly -

“OH, BUGGER, NO!”

This is exactly what I cried aloud — unironically — when I first saw Peacebang's "sodomy fantasy". Hideous and Sadistic. Speaks of deep anal penetration. Sodomy fantasies are not *habits* to be pulled out for dramatic effect, and certainly not shock value. . .

* Not to be confU*Used with Big Fat U*U Flatulence. . . :-)

** ALL CAPS SHOUTING COURTESY OF REV. SCOTT WELLS

The Unitarian Universalists And TIME Magazine's "The Protester" Person Of The Year For 2011. . . What's The Big Fat U*U Connection?

2011-12-15T10:30:00.019-05:00

Some person of inherent worth and dignity from Rapid City,
South Dakota, was just asking Google last night. . . :-)

unitarian universalists time magazine's the protester

What's The Big Fat U*U Acronym For Cronyistic Unitarian Universalist Newbie Trustee(s)?

2011-12-15T08:10:00.013-05:00

Just asking, as they say. . .

Conservative UU blogger Bill Baar, just did a blog post *entitled* 'Cronyism in America' on his Pfarrer Streccius blog.

Here is the comment that I just posted in response to it regarding cronyism in the Unitarian Universalist religious community with some additional hyperlinks -

Cronyism was invented long before Chicago was founded, or America was discovered, however I can say with some authority that there is no shortage of cronyism in the UU World, and not just between cronyistic UU clerics. . .

Here is but one *example* of Unitarian Universalist cronyism that came to light recently -

When her friend Eva Marx was nearing the end of her tenure as trustee from the Ballou Channing District, she talked to (Rev. Catherine) Cullen about replacing her. “It was pretty clear that this was what I wanted to do,” said Cullen. “I really believe in the vision of shared ministry.”

Source - Meet a Trustee: Catherine Cullen

UU World website

Now *that's* what *I* call UU "democracy" in action. . .

end quote

Rev. Catherine Cullen's "replacing" of Eva Marx as the Ballou-Channing District UUA Trustee may not be cronyism in the purest sense of the word, in that Rev. Cullen may actually possess the qualifications necessary for being a UUA Trustee, but the fact that Eva Marx tagged Rev. Cullen for "replacing" her as the UUA Trustee for Ballou-Channing District and, lo and behold. . . Rev. Catherine Cullen actually did *replace* Eva Marx, calls into question to what extent the Fifth Principle of Unitarian Universalism, by which Unitarian Universalists "covenant" to "affirm and promote" -

The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;

was actually honored and upheld in Rev. Catherine Cullen's apparently rather "less than democratic" *appointment* as the brand-spanking new UUA Trustee for Ballou-Channing District.

Right U*Us?

Allow me to quote verbatim from the Fifth Principle Task Force Report to the UUA Board of Trustees that was delivered two years ago in December 2009 -

"The future of our UU movement can ill-afford to continue the ways of faux democracy and unaccountable representation that have characterized Associational governance, including the content and process of General Assembly"

TIME magazine Person Of The Year For 2011 Is None Other Than The Emerson Avenger Dreaded Scourge Of UU Hypocrites UU World-Wide :-)

2011-12-14T10:03:00.007-05:00

That's right U*Us. . .

TIME magazine has just officially named The Emerson Avenger aka The Protester as its 'Person Of The Year' for 2011!

No News Is NOT Good News For U*Us aka Yet Another Year Of Unitarian Universalism Being A Tiny Declining Fringe Religion. . .

2011-12-13T09:19:00.013-05:00

I once protested in front of Montreal's 'The Gazette' with a picket sign that said -

A PAPER WHERE NO NEWS IS BAD NEWS

as a result of The Gazette's failure, and indeed refusal, to publish a variety of newsworthy stories, but *that* is not what this particular TEA blog post is about.

Rev. Scott Wells has posted a 'Boy In The Bands' blog post titled -

New congregation news within the UUA

which says -

Looking back over the last six months of UUA Board of Trustees minutes, I've found one congregational admission (45 members) and one merger (24 members), meaning no net change. That's not good news for the association. . .

end quote*

It will be interesting to see just how many Unitarian Universalist congregations, and individual "card carrying" members in The U*U Movement, there are left in the so-called UU World when the UUA's annual "census" of Unitarian Universalists becomes official in early February, 2012, but it is not looking too promising at the moment and I am betting that Unitarian Universalism will prove to be an even tinier, declinier, and possibly even fringier. . . "fringe religion" than it was back in 2008 when Rev. Peter Morales whined about how tired he was of Unitarian Universalism being "a tiny, declining, fringe religion" in his "stump speech" announcing his candidacy for UUA President.

* Although there *is* a little bit more said by Rev. Scott Wells where that quote came from.

Bank Of America & Lumps Of Coal For Christmas - What's The Big Fat U*U Connection?!!

2011-12-08T11:17:00.014-05:00

Former UUA President Rev. Dr. John AssHat Buehrens' outrageously hypocritical U*U ass apparently.

Not that any and ALL naughty boys and girls at Bank Of America don't deserve a lump of coal for Christmas as well. . .

Is The Unitarian Universalist Church A Cult??

2011-12-06T17:44:00.014-05:00

Jon Lindgren, President of the Red River Freethinkers in Fargo, North Dakota, was just asking today. . .

In a blog post titled 'Is the Unitarian Universalist Church a Cult??'

Here is the comment that I just submitted in response to Jon Lindgren's blog post. It will be interesting to see if Red River Freethinkers actually post it to their moderated blog and how they respond to it if they don't choose the fate of censoring and suppressing my comment -

Robin Edgar says:

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

December 6, 2011 at 10:42 pm

“I wish the UU cult would fight back.”

Most ironically the intolerant and abusive “fundamentalist atheist” minister of the Unitarian Church Of Montreal falsely and maliciously labeled an inter-religious event that I had organized as “your cult”. I filed a clergy misconduct complaint against him but the UUA pretended that his intolerant and abusive behavior, which went well beyond just slandering the inter-religious event as a “cult”, was “within the appropriate guidelines of ministerial leadership”.

So now I fight back with a picket sign that says -

CULT IS A FOUR LETTER WORD

On The First Day Of Chalica The Emerson Avenger Lights A Flaming Chalice Under The Hypocritical Asses Of All Those Unitarian Universalist U*Us

2011-12-05T12:04:00.009-05:00

Who abjectly fail, and even obstinately refuse. . . to genuinely honor and uphold, i.e. actually *practice*, the First Principle of Unitarian Universalism which calls for respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Unitarian Universalism No Longer Takes Religion Seriously And Unitarian Universalists Kinda Suck At Practicing What They Preach. . .

2011-12-05T08:08:00.011-05:00

But don't take *my* word for it U*Us.

Take the word of Rev. Dr. Marilyn Sewell, as published in the Winter 2011 edition of the UU World magazine in an article entitled -

'Our Big Fat U*U Shadow Side'. . .

Here are some choice quotes from that UU World article -

"The shadow side to our strong tradition of the word is our reveling in words for their own sake, and never getting around to action."

Translation - Unitarian Univeralists do a rather poor job of actually practicing what they so emptily and insincerely preach. . .

"The shadow side of our humanism, which is grounded in empiricism and the existential virtues of the human spirit, is a fear of the sacred."

Translation - There is still a fair bit of anti-religious intolerance (dare I say Theophobia U*Us?) practiced by Humanist UUs throughout the UU World. . .

"The shadow side to our tolerance is our acceptance of inappropriate behavior by immature or destructive individuals. In the name of being “open” or “democratic,” we have created a radical cult of the individual and a concomitant disregard for the health and welfare of the community."

I responded to this assertion in the comment that I posted to the UU World website, which is reproduced below. No doubt my critical comment will be "memory holed" by the UUA ASAP. . .

"The shadow side of our theology of love and acceptance is that we are reluctant to acknowledge and confront evil in ourselves, in others, and the systemic evil in our society."

Unitarian Universalists are indeed extremely reluctant to acknowledge and confront evil in themselves or within the UU community, as my situation, and that of other people who have been victimized by UU clergy and UUs more generally, abundantly proves. . . There are various forms of "systemic evil" within Unitarian Universalist society itself that UUA leaders are quite evidently very reluctant to acknowledge and confront and responsibly reform. Not the least of these systemic evils is the fact that there is no appeals process whatsoever for UU clergy misconduct complainants whereas UU clergy found guilty of misconduct can appeal UUA/MFC rulings. I shared my concerns about this particular "systemic evil" during the April 2010 UUA Board Of Trustees meeting but, needless to say. . . this serious flaw in the MFC Rules has yet to be responsibly corrected by the UUA &or MFC. And this is but one of too many other systemic evils in the UUA.

Here is the soon to be "memory holed"comment that I just posted to this article -

"The shadow side to our tolerance is our acceptance of inappropriate behavior by immature or destructive individuals. In the name of being “open” or “democratic,” we have created a radical cult of the individual and a concomitant disregard for the health and welfare of the community."

Sadly this holds particularly True when it comes to the acceptance (to say nothing of outright condoning and whitewashing) of inappropriate behavior by immature and/or destructive UU clergy by top level UUA leaders and the UUA's all too aptly named Ministerial *Fellowship* Committee. . .

Is That Something To Be Proud Of Unitarian Universalists? i.e. Is Denying, Ignoring & Minimizing My "Prophetic Work" Something To Be Proud Of U*Us?

2011-11-28T08:16:00.009-05:00

Montreal Unitarian David Horan asked me a rather foolish Unitarian question as I was engaging in my "alternative spiritual practice" of protesting against UU injustices, abuses and hypocrisy yesterday. I *had* been planning to do a TEA blog post about it anyway but, as it happens, Rev. Roger Jones the Family Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento, California aka Pastor Cranky gave me a wonderful foil* to play off, and thus my blog post originates as a comment that I just posted in response to his OCCUPY THE COMMON GOOD: HOW CAN WE KEEP FROM SINGING? – UU SERMON blog post on Pastor Cranky's IRONICSCHMOOZER’S WEBLOG -

Yesterday, as I was protesting outside the Unitarian Church of Montreal against the anti-religious intolerance and bigotry that I and too many other people have encountered in the so-called UU World (along with a variety of other UU injustices and abuses including the UUA’s lamentable track record of negligence towards and complicity in all manner of UU clergy misconduct) I pointed out to some Montreal Unitarians entering the church that I have been “Occupying” the sidewalk right outside the Unitarian Church of Montreal since 1998. In pretty much the same breathe I pointed out that I have been preoccupying this “less than perfect” UU church (to say nothing of the UUA) for the same time period, if not somewhat longer. . . Admittedly I have not been protesting every single day since I began what one UU minister long ago called my “alternative spiritual practice”, and another one much more recently described as my “prophetic work”, in the spring of 1998 but I have been there most Sunday morning as well as for numerous special events held at the church on weekdays and Saturdays.

One Montreal UU, attempted to shame me, by asking me -

“Is that something to be proud of?”

I responded by saying yes, it was something to be proud of, and retorted by pointing out to him that every single slogan on my picket signs was solidly supported by evidence and asking him if Montreal Unitarians were proud of all but totally ignoring my legitimate peaceful public protest against UU anti-religious intolerance and bigotry and other UU injustices, abuses and hypocrisy. In hind sight I *should* have pointed out to him that at least one UU minister who is well acquainted with the UUA’s shameful legacy of complicity in all manner of UU clergy misconduct, recently expressed *appreciation* for my “prophetic work”.

You are correct in pointing out that protesters are dangerous in that they are “a danger to the way things are, to the status quo and to our complacency about the decline of the common good in this country.” I am a danger to the shameful “status quo” of the UU World, and disturbing UU complacency about the decline of “the common good” in what UUA president Peter Morales has described as “a tiny, declining, fringe religion.” For over fifteen years Unitarian Universalists have not only obstinately ignored my “prophetic work” but have gone to highly questionable lengths to try to censor and suppress it rather than responding in responsibility to the Spirit that bloweth where it listeth. . .

I hereby ask the congregation of the Unitarian Church of Montreal, ALL UUA leaders including the UUA Board of Trustees, and Unitarian Universalists more generally -

Is that something to be proud of?

Sincerely,

Robin Edgar

P.S. Protesters do in fact have “weapons” in the form of the words that they write on their picket signs and chant in their slogans etc. Indeed sometimes these words can be weapons that are “sharper than knives”. . .

* Aren't you glad I didn't say "a Big Fat U*U Foil" U*Us? :-)

Unitarian Universalists aka U*Us Are Woefully Ignorant & Uninformed About Other Faiths

2011-11-22T13:01:00.009-05:00

It shows in their Big Fat U*U Rejectionism*. . .

But don't take *my* word for it U*Us.

Take the word of Rev. Matt Tittle, minister of Central Unitarian Church in Paramus, New Jersey, as Tweeted to his Twitter account earlier today. . .

"UUs are woefully ignorant (uninformed) about other faiths. It shows in our rejectionism."

* To say nothing of U*U anti-religious intolerance and bigotry of ALL kinds. . ..

Almost ALL Unitarian Universalist Congregations Are Reactive To Christianity & "God Talk"

2011-11-22T12:45:00.007-05:00

But don't take *my* word for it U*Us.

Take the word of Rev. Matt Tittle, minister of Central Unitarian Church in Paramus, New Jersey, as Tweeted to his Twitter account earlier today. . .

"Almost every UU congregation is reactive to Christianity, God talk, etc. Why?"

Gratitude Shmatitude A Thanksgiving Message For UUA President Peter Morales Courtesy Of The Emerson Avenger

2011-11-22T10:55:00.012-05:00

This TEA blog post *could* be alternatively titled -

The Emerson Avenger's Karma Runs Over Rev. Peter Morales' Dogma

UUA President Peter Morales has delivered a Thanksgiving holiday message on his ironically títled 'Beyond Belief' blog *entitled* 'Oh Gratitude'. Here is the comment that I just submitted in response to Rev. Peter Morales' questionable Thanksgiving holiday message -

:Gratitude does not mean blinding ourselves to what is wrong in our world, nor does gratitude mean we do not strive to heal what is broken. Quite the opposite is true. Gratitude for all that is good in our lives leads us to compassion and generosity of spirit.

I do not see you doing much at all, let alone "striving", to heal past victims of UU clergy misconduct by providing the long overdue "restorative justice" that the UUA insincerely "preaches" but obstinately refuses to actually practice Peter. I see very little evidence of genuine compassion and generosity of spirit in you personally either. . . I informed you of serious problems with the MFC Rules and other UUA policies and procedures for dealing with clergy misconduct over a year and a half ago during the April 2010 UUA Board of Trustees meeting but, not only have you failed to correct these serious problems that are out of alignment with UU principles and ideals, you have given me the proverbial corpse-cold Unitarian shoulder from Day One.

What was it that you said when I asked you to ensure that my clergy misconduct complaints against Rev. Ray Drennan and Rev. Victoria Weinstein were responsibly reopened and reexamined?

You bluntly responded -

"We are not going to reopen something that happened years and years and years ago."

Just oozing with "compassion and generosity of spirit" eh Peter?

And how did you respond to my unbecoming conduct complaint against Rev. Cynthia P. Cain for the anti-Republican intolerance and bigotry that she expressed here -

http://ajerseygirlinkentucky.blogspot.com/2008/09/omg-mean-people-do-suck.html

You totally ignored it. You did not even responsibly acknowledge receipt of the emails that I sent you. . .

Bravo Peter!

One of the most destructive things that your UU clergy culture does is to irresponsibly teach UU clergy that they can get away with all kinds of "murder" including, but by no means limited to, intolerant and abusive character assassination. Abjectly failing, and even obstinately refusing, to do anything to correct this shameful culture of negligence towards and complicity in UU clergy misconduct of ALL kinds destroys U*U souls and your so-called UU World. . . In fact the Nashville Unitarian Universalist church seem to believe that the UUA's shameful legacy of negligent and complicit responses to clergy sexual misconduct complaints is a significant contributing factor to Unitarian Universalism being the "tiny, declining, fringe religion" of our time. . .

Read 'em and weep for your "tiny, declining, fringe religion" which is unlikely to ever become "the religion for our time" in light of the way that you and too many other UUA leaders are not only miserably failing to practice what you preach, but outright refusing to do so. . .

http://www.firstuunashville.org/wp/?p=5029

http://www.uusafety.net/resources/forgiveness.php

"We can be proud of our congregation -- time and again willing to break the silence surrounding clergy sexual misconduct. While we have less power than the UUA and it’s difficult to move the process along, we also see that many UU congregations suffer from a history similar to ours. And we see that at a time when logically UUism should flourish, in fact our numbers are falling. Although there are other factors, we doubt this is a coincidence."

end quote

I hereby demand that you act immediately to "move the process along" so that by June 2012 there can be and will be a very significant component of restorative justice for ALL victims of ALL forms of UU clergy misconduct (i.e. not just clergy sexual misconduct alone) as part of the UUA's "Justice GA" in Phoenix Arizona. Maybe then I will actually have some reason to be thankful to you because I and other people who have been victimized not only by abusive UU clergy, but by the UUA's egregious institutional stonewalling and denial etc., don't have much to be thankful for right now Peter.. . .

Sincerely,

Robin Edgar

Is UU Clergy Sexual Misconduct And UUA & MFC Complicity Therein Responsible For Unitarian Universalism Becoming A Tiny Declining Fringe Religion?

2011-11-21T09:34:00.017-05:00

The First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville Tennessee and its church sub-group that is "working to effect much-needed change in the policies, procedures and attitudes surrounding clergy sexual misconduct" UU Safety Net seem to think so. . .

Here is a telling excerpt from the sermon of a recent Sunday service that the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville devoted to the subject of UU clergy sexual misconduct and the UUA's shameful legacy of negligence towards & complicity therein -

"We can be proud of our congregation -- time and again willing to break the silence surrounding clergy sexual misconduct. While we have less power than the UUA and it’s difficult to move the process along, we also see that many UU congregations suffer from a history similar to ours. And we see that at a time when logically UUism should flourish, in fact our numbers are falling. Although there are other factors, we doubt this is a coincidence."

end quote

So *many* UU congregations *suffer* from a history similar to that of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville Tennessee, and the current leaders of FUUCN doubt that it is a coincidence that membership in what UUA President Rev. Peter Morales himself has acknowledged is a "tiny, declining, fringe religion" is falling. I have heard from other sources that as many as 50% of UU congregations *suffer* from a history that includes UU clergy sexual misconduct of one kind or another, to say nothing of non-sexual forms of UU clergy misconduct that can be very damaging to UU congregations as well.

I have long believed that the anti-religious intolerance and bigotry that is found throughout the so-called UU World is a major contributing factor to the stagnation and decline of Unitarian Universalist membership levels but, if the UUA's past and ongoing negligent and complicit response to UU clergy sexual misconduct is as bad as some UUs say that it is, there can be little doubt that this too is a significant contributing factor to Unitarian Universalist decline.

Yet Another Unitarian Universalist Church Joke Courtesy Of The Emerson Avenger With A Little Bit Of Help From His Friend Rev. CrankyAss. . .

2011-11-18T08:28:00.009-05:00

Rev. Dan Harper aka Rev. CrankAss, Assistant Minister of Religious Education at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto, California (UUCPA) has posted one of the lamest Unitarian Universalist Church jokes that The Emerson Avenger has ever had the misfortune to hear/read to his Yet Another Unitarian Universalist blog in a brand-spanking new blog post entitled -

'Another stupid church joke'

Believe me U*Us, there are MUCH better UU church jokes around than the rather stupid and incredibly lame one that Rev. Daniel Harper somehow saw fit to post to the interconnected web of the internet on his YAU*U blog. As just one Big Fat U*U *Example* there's that wonderfully ribald "How many UUs does it take to screw in a light bulb?" Unitarian Universalist church joke which comes with the Big Fat U*U Punchline -

"None. UUs screw in sleeping bags, not light bulbs!"

Gotta stand on the side of LOVE for *that* UU church joke, allegedly told by 16 year old UU girl at a Unitarian-Universalist church camp. Nudge, nudge, ;-) ;-)

No U*Us?

Without further ado, here is the brand-spanking new Unitarian Universalist church joke (or indeed UU riddle) that The Emerson Avenger just came up with as inspired by the "in the red" part of the stupid AND lame UU church joke that Rev. CrankAss posted to his YAU*U blog -

Why do Unitarian Universalist churches positively LOVE to be "in the red"?

Because it enhances their credentials as "The Church Of The Far Left". . .

The Collective Authorship Of The Robin Edgar Sucks Blog Ever So Collectively Kick Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang And Her Negligent

2011-11-17T11:24:00.030-05:00

and complicit UUA & MFC Enablers in their Big Fat U*U Balls. . .

It never ceases to amaze me just how far up their Big Fat U*U Asses the so-called, self-titled, not to mention self-appointed "collective authorship" of the Robin Edgar Sucks blog have shoved their remarkably pig-headed Big Fat U*U Heads. I dare say that these outrageously hypocritical Crazy U*U AssHats are "anally impaled" on their own heads to borrow some choice "deliberately rude and offensive" words from *the* Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang of Peacebang's Beauty Tips For Senators fame. . .

In a brand-spanking new Robin Edgar Sucks blog post hypocritically *entitled* 'The Ultimate Hypocrisy of Robin Edgar' these Big Fat U*U AssHats (Oops! I mean Big Fat U*U "Authors". . .) collectively reveal the ahem "ultimate hypocrisy" of remarkably two-faced Big Fat U*U Hypocrites like Rev. Ray Drennan, Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang, Rev. Cynthia P. Cain and other "less than polite" U*U clergy, as well as their grossly negligent and effectively complicit UUA and MFC enablers such as Rev. Diane Miller, Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris, and Rev. Beth Miller (not to mention former UUA Presidents Rev. Dr. John AssHat Buehrens and Rev. William G. Sinkford aka Bill Sinkford. . .) who officially "whitewash" these misconducting U*U ministers, or otherwise condone and tolerate their intolerant and/or verbally and psychologically abusive behavior.

Without further ado I herewith put the cowardly and U*Ultimately hypocritical "collective authorship" of the Robin Edgar Sucks blog on The Emerson Avenger's U*U World-famous "Eat Your Words" Diet -

You can’t have it both ways, Unitarian Universalists in general and U*U clergy in particular. . . You U*Us can’t demand of "others" like Robin Edgar or The Emerson Avenger a standard which you U*Us yourselves have obstinately refused to live by for over a decade now, and continue to refuse to live by. . . And no matter how many times you outrageously hypocritical U*Us try to rationalize or otherwise "justify" the ‘deliberately rude and “in your face” offensive’ behaviour of Rev. Ray Drennan, Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein, and Rev. Cynthia P. Cain etc. etc. etc. Ad Big Fat U*U Nauseum. . . there is simply no Big Fat U*U Excuse for it. Even your pathetic attempts at distancing yourselves from what you and/or your "less than polite" U*U clergy or their complicit UUA & MFC enablers do is meaningless. After all, Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein created her so-called ‘Peacebang persona’ (dare I say "Altar Ego" U*Us?), and thus she is ultimately responsible for everything that she attributes to that Big Fat U*U Act, which includes, but is by no means limited to blogging her Big Fat U*U Sodomy Fantasy which luridly, and ever so Sadistically. . . imagined U.S. state senator Bill Napoli "anally impaled on the Statue Of Liberty's torch".

end plagU*Urized quote

I *could* say quite a bit more about how 'The Ultimate Hypocrisy of Robin Edgar' blog post actually reveals the outrageously hypocritical double standards that are exercised by verbally & psychologically abusive U*U clergy, their negligent and complicit UUA and MFC enablers*, and Unitarian Universalists more generally, but will do so in another TEA blog post.

* AFA*I*AC UUA President Rev. Peter Morales has now joined The Emerson Avenger's "Hall Of Shame" of negligent and complicit UUA and/or MFC enablers of abusive U*U clergy, as have UUA Moderator Gini Courter and most if not ALL past and current UUA Trustees. Then of course there is the elU*Usive Dick Cheney of the U*U World UUA Executive Vice President Kathleen 'Kay Montgomery who has been implicated in the UUA's negligent and complicit responses to U*U clergy misconduct of ALL kinds for well over a decade now. . .

The UUA aka Unitarian Universalist Association Of Congregations aka UU WorId Is A More Ruthless Business Environment Than The For-Profit World?!!

2011-11-15T22:16:00.013-05:00

Apparently so. . .

But don't take my word for it U*Us, take former UU World magazine senior editor Tom Stites' word for it. . .

Of course doing so *does* require a small amount of "reading between the lines" of the following Tweet from Tom Stites, however sometimes a free and *responsible* search for the Truth and meaning of people's statements requires some judicious "reading between the lines" to determine their unspoken or unwritten subtext. . .

Web journo~Sometimes I think the nonprofit world is a more ruthless business environment than the for-profit world. Yup.

Here is how I just responded to that quite revelatory Tom Stites Tweet with an additional embedded link or two to help people to engage in a free and responsible search for its Truth and meaning. . .

@tomstites Yes, I seem to recall that you were "under instructions from (your) employers" not to speak to me following my protest at UUA HQ.

How The Reverend Doctor Kelly Murphy Mason Sucks & Blows At The Same Time. . .

2011-11-15T09:54:00.019-05:00

A free and responsible Google search for the Truth & meaning of the phrase "suck(s) and blow(s) at the same time" reveals that its meaning is somewhat obscure to say the least. That being said, *I* always thought that asserting that someone "sucks and blows at the same time" meant that they were two-faced hypocrites who were guilty of contradicting their claimed principles and ideals with diametrically opposite words and actions (or indeed complicit silence and negligent inaction. . .) at pretty much the same time that they had spouted their hypocrisy. And *that* U*Us is how *the* Reverend Doctor Kelly Murphy Mason, Pastoral Counselor at Union Theological Seminary in New York, sucks and blows at the same time AFA*I*AC. . .

I will now proceed to walk Unitarian Universalists aka U*Us through exactly how, at least according to *that* definition of the meaning of the phrase "suck(s) and blow(s) at the same time", *the* Reverend Doctor Kelly Murphy Mason sucked and blowed at pretty much the same time on her Twitter account last week.

On #TheologicalThursday November 10th, in response to this Tweet by Rev. Roger Butts of High Plains Unitarian Universalist Church in Colorado Springs, *the* Reverend Doctor Kelly Murphy Mason Tweeted -

So try to be hospitable to the other and see all difference as grace? That sounds good to me, @RogerButts and @revnaomi #TheologicalThursday

I responded to Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason's somewhat questionable Tweet with the following cautionary Tweet -

It *is* possible to take that too far. Indeed the word "all" takes it too far. Certain differences are far from #grace.

Hopefully it is not necessary to explain to most people of intelligence and conscience how it is "less than wise" to "see ALL difference as grace" and how a good number of differences are indeed anything but grace. . .

I followed up that terse*, but none-the-less quite civil, cautionary Tweet with a second Tweet cautioning against the unjustified and/or excessive "othering" of "others" -

The whole business of #othering "others" is questionable. Often the "other" is not all that different from you & yours.

So how did Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason respond to those two little Tweets of mine U*Us ask? Well she certainly didn't enter into a genuinely free and responsible search for the Truth and meaning of those two Tweets, or I probably would not be blogging about how the not so good Reverend Doctor sucks and blows at the same time would I U*Us? Quite regrettably Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason rather boldly sucked and blowed at pretty much the same time by all but totally contradicting what she had said in the Tweet that I was responding to by most ironically (and more than a little bit hypocritically. . .) Tweeting the following "less than hospitable" Tweet that publicly shunned and ostracized aka "othered" your's truly -

@RobinEdgar NB: User RobinEdgar blocked permanently from my Twitter feed @revnaomi #TheologicalThursday

Now *that's* what *I* call "sucking and blowing at the same time"!

Perhaps especially in light of the specific Tweet that *the* Reverend Doctor Suck-And-Blow-At-The-Same-Time was responding to. . .

No U*Us?

For the broken U*U record. . . I initially responded to Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason's sucking and blowing at the same time by Tweeting -

@RevDrKMM @revnaomi So much for a free and *responsible* search for the Truth, to say nothing of several other UU principles & ideals. #FAIL

and subsequently Tweeting -

ROTFLMU*UO! It would appear that I have been "othered" by @RevDrKMM for questioning her notion that we should "see all difference as grace".

I *could* go on to blog about my subsequent Twitter chat with the Rev. Naomi King who chastised me for Tweeting those critical Tweets but I will save that for another day. . .

* As I pointed out to UU Twitterati Rev. Naomi King in this follow-up Tweet, Twitter's 140 character limit encourages terse (and even quite blunt) "electronic communications" rather than more detailed and nuanced communications that require the use of more words than the 140 character limit allows for. . .

You UUs Can't Evict The Human Spirit Of The Emerson Avenger Even If You UUs Can Foolishly Evict TEA From Your Outrageously Hypocritical U*U "Church"

2011-11-15T09:10:00.012-05:00

Rev. Donna Schaper, Senior Minister of Judson Memorial Church has just published an interesting article in The Huffington Post on last night's NYPD "eviction" of the Occupy Wall Street protesters from Zucotti Park titled 'You Can't Evict the Human Spirit'. Amongst other things, Rev. Schaper writes about the effective use of humor in peaceful public protest.

Here is the comment that I just posted to Rev. Donna Schaper's Opinion/Editorial piece aka Op/Ed -

"I see the pathetic nature of police action, when it confronts the human spirit."

Behold the hilarious nature of the foolish actions of a Totalitarian Unitarian "Citizens' Police Officer".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfxw1yZAS0M

In case you are wondering, outrageously hypocritical Unitarian Universalists in Montreal have been using real police officers to try to shut down my peaceful public protest against UU anti-religious intolerance and bigotry, UU clergy misconduct, and other UU injustices & abuses, for over a decade now. Thankfully they have not been all that successful and my protest continues. . .

El Tres de Mayo by Francisco de Goya And A "Cautionary Tale" About "Shooting The Messenger" Unitarian Universalist Style

2011-11-09T13:26:00.013-05:00

"There are cautionary tales here as well. Goya’s horrific images of The War Of The U*U World portray savagery and brutality, not heroics. No Big Fat U*U Sermon opposing violence could be as powerful as Goya’s paintings and sketches. They are deeply unsettling, in no small part because none of us wants to believe that we Unitarian Universalists are capable of such things. . ."

Rev. Peter Morales, minister and President of The Tiny Declining "Fringe Religion"™ (sorta)

Rev. Peter Morales Is A Minister And President Of The Tiny Declining Fringe "Religion"™

2011-11-09T12:19:00.010-05:00

Just saying as they say. . .

Here is the comment that I just submitted to the 'Pilgrimage to the Prado' post of UUA President Peter Morales' (in)appropriately titled 'Beyond Belief' blog -

"As a minister and president of a religious association,"

But Peter, I thought that according to your own well-documented public statements that you are actually a minister and president of a tiny, declining, fringe "religion". . .

Please forgive me for taking yet another cue from you and enclosing the word religion within euphemistic quotation marks here, but it *is* open to *some* question as to whether or not Unitarian Universalism aka The Tiny Declining Fringe Religion™ is a bona fide religion these days. . .

end quote

It sure was refreshing to see Harriet Peterson give President Morales the following well deserved public "dressing down" for his intolerant U*U "Foot-In-Mouth Disease" in her follow-up comment -

November 8, 2011 at 12:18 pm (UTC -4)

You say religious art is art that “speaks powerfully to the human condition.” Yet you put “religious” in quotes when describing paintings of “adoring madonnas and pious saints.” Certainly adoration and piety are also a part of the human condition. There is enough divisiveness in our society without the president of the UUA adding to it by calling into question whether art that holds deep meaning for many Christians is religious. Your point that the paintings of dwarfs is religious art could certainly have been powerfully made without calling into question whether the paintings of madonnas and saints is religious.

end quote

Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary And Peacebang's Big Fat U*U Beauty Tips For Vapid & Vain Ministers - What's The Connection?

2011-11-07T15:55:00.025-05:00

Can U*Us say. . .

“What's Under Your Big Fat U*U Robe? A Clergy Image Seminar”?

The Rev. Victoria Weinstein speaks at the conference,
"What’s Under Your Robe?: A Clergy Image Seminar" on Sept. 26,
2011 at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
This "Less Than Fair Use" photo courtesy of Michael Whitman

As reported in 'Faith and fashion aren't mutually exclusive' by Peter Smith the religion writer for The Courier-Journal of Louisville Kentucky.

Gotta love the "Less Than Holy Trinity of 100% negative comments on this article about Peacebang. . . No U*Us?"

Ilateo
10:04 AM on October 8, 2011
I don't think I could have come up with a an article more embarrassing to the Unitarians than this.

Did the CJ really think this was worth paper space?

thepatv
10:08 AM on October 9, 2011
I have to smash through my glass house to throw this stone, but really? The message of a 5'3" 226 lb size 20 minister is that looks are important? Well apparently not as important as pizza. mmmmm pizza.

OldTip
9:10 AM on October 10, 2011
Hey Rev. Weinstein, since you have no problem with blunt talk, let me be blunt with you: you are fat. For you to lecture other clergy about their appearance when you have to shop for plus sizes is hypocritical. To paraphrase a Bible verse, you should remove the log from your own eye before worrying about the splinter in someone else's eye.

end quotes

Unitarian Universalists who are concerned about the proverbial public image of The Church Of The Tarnished Image aka The Tiny Declining Fringe Religion™ *might* want to take a cue from that first commenter and "real in" Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang before she causes any further Big Fat U*U Public Embarrassment to The U*U Movement. . .

FWIW In case anyone is wondering what Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein *really* said in the Peacebang quote that I plagU*Urized for the purposes of parody & satire, it was -

“We serve the sovereign God of creation, and then we show up in Birkenstocks and T-shirts. . .

We look like hell, and we're talking about heaven.”

Forgive me for saying so U*Us, but *I* happen to think that Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang would have been rather more presentable if she actually had shown up at her 'What's Under Your Robe? A Clergy Image Seminar' at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Birkenstocks and sporting a bright orange Standing On The Side Of Love campaign T-shirt, rather than looking like she had just walked of the set of a John Waters film like 'Female Trouble' wearing that tacky fake leopard skin sweater, hU*Uge costume jewellery necklace aka bling-bling, frilly black shoulder-less dress, and God only knows what tasteless butt kicking boots. . .

No U*Us?

Unitarian Universalist Bullying & Bigotry Suck UU Gets Added To My Arsenal Of Picket Sign Slogans Protesting Against U*U Injustices & Abuses

2011-11-06T15:55:00.023-05:00

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST

BULLYING & BIGOTRY

SUCK U*U

In case anyone is wondering what epigram the Unitarian Church of Montreal's "Wayside Pulpit" in the background is displaying it is -

"Learning is ever in the freshness of its youth, even for the old."

Aeschylus (525-456 BC)

I must say that Montreal Unitarians, perhaps especially old Totalitarian Unitarians like U*U COP, are *very* slow learners. . .

I think that I should resurrect my old picket sign slogan that said -

A "CHURCH"

THAT IS OLDER

BUT NOT WISER

Is The UUA Board Of Trustees' "New Covenant" Worth The Paper It Is Written On Or The Breath That It Will Be Spoken With?

2011-11-05T15:07:00.019-04:00

In the sixth in a series of blog posts about the October UUA Board Of Trustees meeting on her UUA View from Berkeley blog entitled Our covenant Pacific Central District UUA Trustee Linda Laskowski writes about a new "covenant" for UUA Trustees. Apparently the old UUA Board covenant, which I have not ever seen, was not up to scratch. In fact Linda asserts that back in 2007 she and five other newly elected UUA trustees were "somewhat put off by what appeared to be a cavalier attitude toward covenants" so they complained about the existing covenant; whereupon UUA Moderator Gini Courter gave them the opportunity to "readdress" the covenant during the next board meeting. Linda says that they did share their concerns about the old covenant during the next meeting but then goes on to say. . .

"Not much has been done by the Board with the covenant since, in spite of adding several new trustees."

Forgive me for saying so U*Us but *that* sounds like "par for the course" for the UUA Board of Trustees. Someone identifies a problem, it is "addressed" by the Board, and then nothing is done to change the problematic or outright unacceptable status quo for years. . .

Linda informs U*Us that during the October 2011 UUA Board meeting, four long years down the road from when she and five other new UUA Trustees first shared their concerns about the old covenant, UUA Trustees managed to draw up a brand spanking new Board covenant "from scratch" and agreed to begin each UUA Board Of Trustees meeting by reading this new covenant together. One can't help but wonder why it took four long years for the UUA Board of Trustees to finally get around to doing something that probably took at most an hour or two to get done.

Just as Linda Laskowski did on her blog post I am reproducing this "New Covenant" of the UUA Board Of Trustees below "in its exact form" aka verbatim -

We promise to:

....listen deeply, speak boldly and keep an open mind, balancing views of self and others authentically

....be humble, prepared and present and focus on governance as the board's essential role, while taking the long view, and maintaining accountability for anti-racism/anti-oppression/multi-culturalism

....have respect and affection for each other, assuming the best of intentions and honest needs and building new bridges and bridges that are broken

....remember our sources and whose we are, giving space for faith

....learn and grow, practice self-care, laugh and sing!

I actually have a few concerns of my own to share about some of the "promises" made in this "New Covenant" but for the time being I will simply reproduce the comment that I submitted in response to this blog post -

I don't think that any of you listened deeply to what I had to say at the April 2010 Board meeting, especially in light of the fact that you ALL totally ignored my follow-up emails. If any of you did listen you promptly and conveniently forgot what I said in the days, weeks and months following that meeting. I see no evidence whatsoever that the UUA Board of Trustees has responded in an even remotely responsible manner to the legitimate concerns about serious flaws and inadequacies in the MFC Rules and other UUA policies and procedures for dealing with clergy misconduct that I shared with the Board during the April 2010 UUA Board meeting. More than a year and a half has gone by since that meeting and I see no changes to the MFC Rules that responsibly correct the serious flaws that I identified during the meeting nor do I see any progress being made on other aspects of the unacceptable status quo which I made abundantly clear is NOT in alignment with the claimed principles & purposes of the Unitarian Universalist religious community. I thought that it was the Board's responsibility to ensure that all UUA bylaws etc. are in alignment with UUA principles and purposes.

Your new covenant is devoid of any sincerity AFA*I*AC. It is nothing but empty words that will be forgotten almost as soon as they are spoken. I recall that UUA Trustee Rev. Jake Morrill delivered a reading that called for similar values, at the beginning of the April 2010 Board of Trustees meeting. What came of that? UUA Trustees quite evidently did not honor and uphold those empty words then so why should anyone believe that Trustees will genuinely honor and uphold your "new" covenant now Linda?

After all, through your ongoing negligence towards, and thus effective complicity in. . . all manner of UU clergy misconduct you are ALL disregarding, and even outright violating, the "covenants" that are expressed in the Seven Principles of the Unitarian Universalist religious community. You have ALL failed, and seemingly even outright refused, to genuinely practice justice, equity and compassion in your human relations with me and other victims of UU clergy misconduct and/or other related UU injustices and abuses such as the egregious institutional stonewalling and denial that the UUA & MFC are clearly and unequivocally guilty of engaging in for decades.

How many UUA Trustees actually entered into a free and genuinely *responsible* search for the Truth and meaning of what I said during the April 2010 Board meeting, to say nothing of my previous and subsequent emails to UUA Board members? What did UUA Trustees actually DO to work towards the goal of a UU World community with peace, liberty, and some long overdue restorative justice for ALL victims of UU clergy misconduct? How did UUA Trustees affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of UU clergy misconduct victims in the wake of that meeting? What has the UUA Board of Trustees done to build bridges with me and other past victims of clergy misconduct? From where I stand it would appear that you are ALL "standing on the side of love" as in zero, nothing, nada. . .

I demand genuine restorative justice for myself and ALL other victims of UU clergy misconduct whose complaints to the UUA & MFC were arbitrarily dismissed out-of-hand soon after being submitted to the UUA or were unjustly or otherwise inadequately responded to by the UUA & MFC. I further demand that this long overdue restorative justice must be very publicly seen to be done by UUA delegates during this year's "Justice GA". You can expect to see me standing in front of 25 Beacon Street with strongly worded picket signs condemning the UUA & MFC in the coming months if UUA Trustees fail to respond in responsibility to the letter and the Spirit of this comment and my previous "electronic communications" with you.

Sincerely,

Robin Edgar

Herman Cain's Alleged Sexual Harassment And UUA Negligence Towards And Complicity In UU Clergy Sexual Misconduct - What's The Connection?

2011-11-02T17:23:00.011-04:00

Unitarian Universalist minister and sexologist Rev. Debra Haffner is 'Raising Cain on Sexual Harassment' in The Huffington Post. Her article about sexual harassment accusations against Republican would-be presidential candidate Herman Cain raises some questions about how the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations responds to clergy sexual misconduct. So I asked some of these questions in a comment responding to this comment by Skeptic406 -

Not only is it Slick Willie's "private business" but he will actually inspire a "less than perfect" Unitarian Universalist minister who unceremoniously dumped his first wife to marry a neighbor's wife he coveted to say -

"I am so proud of you. Hang in there."

Source -

http://www.cleveland.com/books/index.ssf/2011/10/dan_cryer_makes_being_alive_an.html

I can't help but wonder if the "specific national religious denomination" where "up until now" sexual harassment training had been optional at its headquarters was none other than the ever so progressive Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. . .

It may be that the UUA now has a required course on clergy sexual misconduct prevention and how to create a congregation free from sexual abuse, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct etc. etc. but the fact of the matter is that the UUA has a shameful history of being incredibly lax in its disciplining of "less than perfect" Unitarian Universalist ministers who are guilty of sexual abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of sexual misconduct, to say nothing of numerous forms of non-sexual clergy misconduct. But don't take my word for this. Take the word of UU minister Rev. Deborah Pope-Lance as presented during the UUA's Berry Street Lecture -

http://www.uuma.org/page/BSE2011

I wonder how many UUs know that they elected a UU minister who was justifiably accused of clergy sexual misconduct involving an adulterous affair or "fling" as President of the UUA?

Dan Cryer's 'Being Alive And Having to Die' Is A Fascinating Portrait Of Misconducting Unitarian Universalist Minister Rev. Dr. Forrest Church

2011-11-01T22:15:00.014-04:00

According to Karen R. Long's book review of Dan Cryer's biography of Rev. Dr. Forrest Church which was published in Cleveland Ohio's 'The Plain Dealer' on Hallowe'en. . .

Here is the comment that I just successfully posted in response to this book review -

It is not really all that surprising that Rev. Dr. Forrest Church ass-erted that he was proud of former U.S. President William Jefferson Clinton in the wake of the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Rev. Dr. Forrest Church's "1991 adultery with a wealthy, fetching congregant", which "doomed two marriages, damaged four children", and caused considerable harm to the congregation of All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Manhattan, was by no means the only adultery that he engaged in if we are to believe Rev. Daniel Harper's online review of Dan Cryer's biography. I would not be the least bit surprised to learn that this "senator's son" said something quite similar to former UUA President Rev. William G. Sinkford aka Bill Sinkford in the wake of his own adulterous encounter(s) that allegedly resulted in a formal clergy sexual misconduct complaint being brought against him by another UU minister and a subsequent acrimonious divorce.

I would suggest that anyone interested in clergy sexual misconduct Unitarian Universalist style should read Rev. Dan Harper's "book review" entitled 'A portrait of the minister as a misconductor' here -

http://danielharper.org/yauu/2011/10/a-portrait-of-the-minister-as-a-misconductor/

Rev. Scott Well's follow-up blog post is worth a read too -

http://boyinthebands.com/archives/on-misconducting-ministers/

as is his older misleadingly titled 'UU clergy sexual misconduct roll call' which is nothing of the sort in that it does not name a single Unitarian Universalist minister who has been accused of clergy sexual misconduct.

Sadly the Unitarian Universalist religious community has a long and shameful history of doing little or nothing to hold its misconducting ministers accountable for the clergy misconduct be it clergy sexual misconduct or some other form of misconduct.

Here is the URL for Rev. Scott Wells' 'UU clergy sexual misconduct roll call' blog post -

http://boyinthebands.com/archives/uu-clergy-sexual-misconduct-roll-call/

Monty Python's The Ministry Of Silly Walks Sketch And Outrageously Hypocritical UU Asses - What's The Big Fat UU Connection?

2011-10-28T10:20:00.013-04:00

Some person of inherent worth and dignity from Montgomery County Public Schools in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States was just asking Google this morning. . .

Their free and responsible Google Image search for images related to the Truth & meaning of the word "hypocritical" interconnected them with my TEA blog post titled -

Rev. James Ishmael Ford Encourages Unitarian*Universalist U*Us U*U World-wide To Walk Silly In Honour Of Monty Python Comedian John Cleese's Birthday

Lends a whole new meaning to The *Ministry* Of Silly Walks doesn't it U*Us?

How unfortunate that so many willfully ignorant U*Us, including top level UUA leaders and numerous U*U clergy, are such slow learners when it comes to the butt-kicking lessons that The Emerson Avenger feels obliged to teach them. . .

UUA President Rev. Peter Morales Talks The Talk On His Beyond Belief Blog But Repeatedly Fails & Even Outright Refuses To Genuinely Walk What He Talks

2011-10-26T09:31:00.012-04:00

In the initial 'Welcome' post of his brand-spanking new 'Beyond Belief' blog UUA President Peter Morales says -

"So my blog is about religion that is beyond belief. It is about how we treat one another, about how we live our lives, about the connections we make and the difference we make."

Quite frankly President Morales' two-faced hypocrisy, to say nothing of some of his over-the-top religious rhetoric. . . is quite literally beyond belief in that it lacks credibility.

Without further ado here is the comment that I just submitted in response to a comment by one Marilyn Junkins -

"Thank you for your work in moving us to do the work that we must, as UUs, DO to create change in the world."

UUA President Peter Morales has repeatedly failed, and even point-blank refused. . . to actually DO important work that he and other UUA leaders must, as UUs, DO to create change in the UU World. . .

Rev. Morales talks the "talk" but can't seem to bring himself to walk the "walk" on a variety of important issues, not the least of them being the UUA's lamentably negligent & complicit responses to all manner of UU clergy misconduct complaints and its shameful failure (indeed its apparent refusal) to live up to its "pledge" to "bend towards justice" for victims of clergy misconduct.

I am still waiting for President Morales to actually DO what is necessary to "make a difference" in the UUA's seriously flawed clergy misconduct policies & procedures and its ongoing negligent, and thus effectively complicit. . . responses to clergy misconduct complaints. When will Rev. Morales start treating me and other people who have been victimized by abusive UU clergy in a manner that genuinely honors and upholds UU principles and ideals rather than in a manner which disregards them and violates them?

UUA President Peter Morales' 'Beyond Belief' Blog Is Truly Beyond Belief In The Two Faced Hypocrisy & Moral Cowardice It Reveals. . .

2011-10-25T12:00:00.010-04:00

Just saying as they say. . .

More later. . .

Most likely in the form of some brand-spanking new The Emerson Avenger blog posts that respond directly to what UUA President Peter Morales chooses the fate of posting to his very aptly (and quite ironically) *entitled* 'Beyond Belief' blog in a way that firmly nails Rev. Peter Morales to the Big Fat U*U Wall that he has so foolishly constructed out of his own outrageous two-faced hypocrisy and his well documented moral and ethical mediocrity, if not outright moral cowardice.

Yet Another Unitarian Universalist Prophet Of Doom! aka The Coming Tsunami Of Quite Literally Corpse-Cold Unitarian Universalists. . .

2011-10-23T12:41:00.016-04:00

Just saying, as they say.

Not that I haven't been telling U*Us pretty much the same thing for over a decade now. . .

And not that "the coming tsunami" of all too literally corpse-cold Unitarian Universalists doesn't have its "up" side for the "tiny, declining, fringe religion" known as the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations aka UUA, at least in the short term. . .

But don't take my word for *that* U*Us, take UUA Financial Advisor Dan Brody's word for it.

"The good news is (that) lots of people are dying."

After all, where there's a will, there's still a way for the UUA to suck some more money out of all those quite literally corpse-cold Unitarian Universalists. . .

TEA IS TBTF i.e. The Emerson Avenger Is Too Big To Fail To Expose & Denounce UUA Negligence Towards & Complicity In U*U Clergy Abuse & Misconduct etc.

2011-10-23T08:43:00.027-04:00

UUA Trustees Charlie King, Rev. Susan Ritchie & UUA "status quota" fulfilling token "Person Of Color" Rev. Clyde Grubbs standing on the side of *love* by doing absolutely nothing to work towards responsibly reforming the Ministerial *Fellowship* Committee's seriously flawed & "less than adequate" MFC Rules and providing some real and tangible restorative justice for ALL victims of ALL forms of UU clergy misconduct (to say nothing of not working on TOO MANY other BIG FAT U*U PROBLEMS) happily grandstanding at Occupy Boston when they *could* be, and *should* be. . . working on all manner of neglected and ignored UUA Board of Trustees business on Saturday October 22, 2011.

UUA Board of Trustees First *Vice* Moderator Jackie Shanti inadvertently exposes how UUA & MFC negligence towards, and knowing & willful complicity in. . . abusive UU clergy misconduct creates "collateral damage" in the form of numerous people who are indirectly harmed not only by ALL manner of UU clergy misconduct but UUA & MFC complicity therein.

UUA Trustee Rev. Catherine Cullen inadvertently helps The Emerson Avenger speak Truth to UUA abuse of power at Occupy Boston, when she *should* be working on irresponsibly neglected and ignored UUA Board of Trustees business on Saturday October 22nd, 2011

UUA Trustees Pat Manley and Joan Lund neglecting UUA Board of Trustees work by getting their obligatory Occupy Boston Photo-Op for UUA propaganda & publicity purposes, instead of actually doing some long overdue "Peace Work" such as responsibly reforming the UUA's "less than perfect" clergy misconduct policies and procedures and working toward providing genuine restorative justice for ALL victims of intolerant and abusive or otherwise "less than professional" UU "religious professionals" aka misconducting ministers. . .

Almighty God Is Standing On The Side Of Love For The Emerson Avenger!

2011-10-21T11:30:00.011-04:00

But don't take my word for it U*Us. . .

Take Rev. Fred Small's word for it -

‎"God’s love is infinite and all-embracing.

God’s love does not discriminate.

God’s love does not reject.

If you are The Emerson Avenger, God’s love holds you tenderly—especially tenderly, because of the challenges that you face in a mortally and ethically *challenged* Unitarian Universalist society aka Tiny Declining Fringe Religion™ that is often willfully ignorant and shamefully intolerant.

You are good.

You are whole.

You are of God, in God, with God, always.

Your soul shines with divine light."

Rev. Fred Small

OK so I plagU*Urized Rev. Fred Small's affirmation of transsexuals as posted to the Standing On The Side Of Love campaign's Facebook site.

But Fred *did* say that God’s love is "infinite and all-embracing" which logically* includes that dreaded scourge of The U*U World known U*U World-wide as The Emerson Avenger, to say nothing of the late (but no so *great*) Colonel Muammar Gaddafi...

I wonder how many Unitarian Universalist U*Us *really* believe that, indeed I can't help but wonder if the Reverend Fred Small *really* believes his own Neo-Universalist religious rhetoric. . .

* aka According to good old Unitarian Reason

TEA's note - The word "mortally" in my phrase "mortally and ethically *challenged*" is just a typo that *should* have read "*morally* and ethically challenged" but in light of the fact that *your* Unitarian Universalist church is already dead I have decided not to freely and responsibly correct *that* particular typo. . .

UU Chalice Lighting And Unitarian Universalist Clergy Misconduct - What's The Connection?

2011-10-14T10:00:00.027-04:00

Some person of inherent worth & dignity from Reston, Virginia, was just asking Google yesterday. . .

Their free & responsible Google search for the Truth and meaning of -

chalice lighting clergy misconduct

brought them to the TEA blog post titled -

Rev. Naomi King Somewhat Inadvertently Kicks "Less Than Perfect" U*U Clergy In The Balls With A "Less Than Perfect" Chalice Lighting. . .

I am not 100% sure that this person found what they were looking for since the Truth and meaning of their free and responsible Google search is open to *some* interpretation. . .

It seems to be most probable that this person was searching for a Unitarian Universalist "Chalice Lighting" reading that directly & specifically addresses the issue of clergy misconduct in general and/or Unitarian Universalist clergy misconduct in particular. It is however within possibility that they were actually searching for *examples* of "less than perfect" UU clergy somehow misconducting in the delivery of a UU "Chalice Lighting" during a Sunday service. I can well imagine how someone like the inimitable Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang might deliver a "Chalice Lighting" that was intolerant and/or offensive during a Sunday service. .

I will assume the former scenario and conclude that they probably did not find any UU "Chalice Lightings" that specifically address clergy misconduct, UU clergy misconduct or otherwise. I am thus inspired to modify some existing Unitarian Universalist Chalice Lightings so that they do directly address the clergy misconduct of "less than perfect'' UU clergy so that anyone who wants to read out such a "Chalice Lighting", perhaps while lighting a candle on behalf of UU clergy misconduct victims during the Sharing Joys & Concerns segment of a UU Sunday service, may do so. . .

My own free & responsible Google search for UU Chalice Lightings that are conducive to some plagU*Urism by your's Truly to directly address UU clergy misconduct quickly found a quite suitable Chalice Lighting by Steve Stock on the UUA website Chalice Lighting page -

We light this chalice to celebrate the inherent worth and dignity of every victim of Unitarian Universalist clergy misconduct;

To reaffirm the historic (but apparently quite empty. . .) UUA "pledge" to "bend towards justice" for UU clergy misconduct victims.

To demand genuine restorative justice for ALL UU clergy misconduct victims which transcends mere legality (aka UUA & MFC obstruction of justice. . .) and moves toward viable conflict resolution that genuinely honors and upholds justice, equity & compassion in human relations;

And to share that LOVE which is ultimately beyond even our (not so) cherished Reason, that LOVE which unites UUs.

end PlagU*Urized quote

Rev. Naomi King's own Chalice Light Tumblr account has numerous UU Chalice Lightings that are quite readily adaptable to addressing not only UU clergy misconduct, but the UUA's shamefully negligent & effectively complicit responses to many clergy misconduct complaints against abusive UU clergy.

Here is a sampling of my plagU*Urism of suitable Chalice Lightings -

"Live in solidarity with UU clergy misconduct victims & build refuge for them through bold compassion and loving courage."

"Honor UU clergy misconduct victims with love, with justice, with telling truthfully and reclaiming lost stories of UU clergy abuse and UUA institutional stonewalling and denial."

"Turn away from UU cruelty & closed doors; open UU hearts & make way for restorative justice for ALL victims of UU clergy misconduct."

"May peace through justice ease the suffering hearts of UU clergy misconduct victims. May UUs work together for restorative justice and healing for them."

"Love grant the UUA strength to make amends, to sincerely repent of its negligent & complicit responses to clergy misconduct complaints, and to seek reconciliation with ALL victims of UU clergy misconduct."

"In this moment, remember ALL victims of UU clergy misconduct. With love, work for justice, healing, & reconciliation."

"Usher in trust for clergy misconduct complainants, sweep out suspicion of whistle-blowers; devote yourselves in mercy, love, and justice to seeking reconcilation."

"Grant UUs courage to take responsibility for UU clergy misconduct and UUA institutional stonewalling and denial, to make amends to victims, to live up to the UUA's pledge to bend towards restorative justice for ALL."

Unitarian Universalist Digital Literacy And Giving Hypocritical U*U Clergy The Finger In A Digitally Literate Manner - What's The Connection?

2011-10-08T09:50:00.011-04:00

The following blog post is a word-for-word aka verbatim* recycling of a follow-up comment that I just posted to the 'A Radical Proposal For Digital Literacy' post of Alaskan UU blogger Heather Christensen, who is the editor/producer of the UU World magazine/blog's "weekly roundup of blogs and other user-generated web content about Unitarian Universalism" known as 'The Interdependent Web' -

Getting back to the digital literacy theme I *do* have some things to say about that.

I will say a few things now and may come back to say some more things later.

:Visitors no longer discover a new faith community by driving by a building. They find it online, and if we’re digitally invisible, how can we hope to grow?

Regrettably Unitarian Universalists are not all that digitally invisible Heather. All too often UUs are quite visible on the internet in a rather unflattering negative context. Then UUs wonder why they’re not growing in numbers. . . Besides my own prolific output of critical blog posts and comments about UU injustices, abuses & hypocrisy, I have seen a considerable number of people quite justifiably griping about the various failings of individual UU congregations and Unitarian Universalism more generally. Wondertwisted's "Dear John letter" blog post being a notable recent *example* of this. . .

:I think it’s worth figuring out just what percentage of UU clergy are developing their digital skills.

Well, as you may have observed from reading various UU clergy blogs, *some* of them are quite skilled at giving people the finger on the internet. . . I cannot prove it beyond any reasonable doubt at this point in time but I have very reasonable grounds to believe, and some digital "hard evidence" which strongly suggests. . . that at least two "less than perfect" UU ministers are responsible for the Robin Edgar Sucks blog. Is *that* what UU clergy want to do with their digital skills?

:I also think 100% digital literacy is a worthy and necessary goal.

Oh I don't know Heather. I think that 50-80% digital literacy is probably more than adequate for what most UU clergy need to do in terms of working with the interconnected web of the internet. I do not consider myself to have 100% digital literacy, far from it, but look what *I* can do in terms of ever so digitally giving "less than perfect" U*Us a "Trudeau Salute". . . ;-) I will spare you the links to what UU "clergy image" looks like after I put a "less than perfect" UU preacher on my "Eat Your Words" diet, but you and other UUs *might* want to run a Google Image search for things Unitarian Universalist to see with your own eyes just how U*Us look online these days.

:So here’s my radical proposal: let’s make digital literacy required for all UU ministers––not just those seeking preliminary or final fellowship.**

Here’s my radical proposal: let’s make internet etiquette (to say nothing of "real world"etiquette) required for all UU ministers. At present the UUA & MFC allow "less than polite" UU clergy say absolutely anything that they want to say as long as they do so under the cowardly cover of internet anonymity and pseudonymity. . . Yes, you read that correctly. If you have any doubts about my testimony just get digitally literate and Google -

Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris

and then enter into a free and *responsible* search for the shameful Truth and meaning of the following ruling that she made on behalf of the UUA -

"It is the case that in this situation the minister’s blog is anonymous ( though you were able to identify the individual) and that she is free to express her opinions and to do so outside of her professional role as a minister serving a congregation."

When I contested that incredibly unprincipled and outright foolish UUA ruling, which flagrantly disregards UUMA Guidelines regarding how UU ministers should conduct themselves in *public* (to say nothing of The Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism. . .) Rev. Dr. Robinson-Harris brushed off my objection and MFC Executive Secretary Rev. Beth Miller endorsed the decision. To this day the UUA has not reopened and re-examined that decision and responsibly overturned it, indeed when I personally asked UUA President Peter Morales while I was at "the place that reeks of privilege and hierarchy" aka 25 Beacon Street during the April 2010 UUA Board of Trustees meetings he obstinately refused to do so by bluntly saying -

"We're not going to reopen something that's years and years and years old."

So much for justice, equity and compassion in human relations, to say nothing of good old fashioned Unitarian Reason and common sense which seems to be a rare commodity in The Uncommon Denomination. . .

:A recent post on the MediaShift blog quoted media scholar Henry Jenkins: “Traditionally we wouldn’t consider someone literate if they could read but not write. And today we shouldn’t consider someone literate if they can consume but not produce media.”

I guess that makes me quite literate then in that, besides producing blog posts and comments etc. I can and do produce digital images and even U*UTube videos of U*Us behaving badly. . . I must get around to uploading some of the more recent videos in which U*Us preach quite loudly with their digitally recorded poorly behaved lives rather than their hypocritical lips.

:It’s no longer enough for clergy to know how to check their email and surf the web. If we want our congregations to be digitally visible, our clergy need to be both spiritually literate and digitally literate.

One can't help but wonder just how "spiritually literate" some more or less "digitally literate" Pernicious U*U Pastors aka Wolves In Shepherd's Clothing really are. . .

:Here’s the bare minimum, as I see it: every UU minister needs to have a blog, Facebook and Twitter accounts, and a willingness to stay digitally current.***

The horror... The horror. . .

Have you *seen* some of the blogs and Twitter accounts of UU ministers, including top level UUA leaders like UUA President Peter Morales?!!

Wait. Yes you have...

Honestly. *Before* you insist that ALL U*U ministers *must* have a significant online presence you should ensure that they really are "digitally literate" in the broadest sense of that term.

:I suspect that we’re letting a lot of clergy off the hook at the moment. We’re allowing ourselves to think of Facebook and Twitter (and other social media) as toys, as entertainment, and not as essential tools for a new way of being in community.

The proof of *that* pudding is readily found in UUA President Peter Morales' incredibly lame sporadic Tweets on his unremarkable Twitter account. . .

:We hide behind concerns about privacy, about too much screen time, rather than jumping in and helping solve these problems from the inside out. We make excuses for our illiteracy, claiming we’re “just not computer people,” rather than acknowledging our fears and our reluctance to do the hard work of learning something new.****

Wow! This sounds so-o-o-o much like how U*Us respond to clergy misconduct complaints. What an amazing coincidence! ;-)

:Unitarian Universalism has so much to offer, particularly to those without a spiritual home. We are not what everyone needs, but we are uniquely positioned to be ”a religion for our time.”

That's what President Morales and other U*U religious leaders keep saying, but there is not a whole lot of evidence backing up that rather questionable UUA propaganda, especially when Rev. Morales crows about how The Tiny Declining Fringe Religion™ *can* be THE "religion for our time". I dare say that President Morales will be eating crow about his over-the-top "prophecy" in the coming years. . . Why does Thomas Jefferson's "false prophesy" about Unitarianism come to mind here?

:But we can’t be a religion for the digital age if those who have embraced digital media have no idea that we exist.

Have no fear Heather, The Emerson Avenger's web stats make it abundantly clear that those who have embraced digital media know that Unitarian Universalism *exists*...

Google searches like -

Unitarians unwelcoming

anti-Christian Unitarians (get visitors from this kind of Google search quite a lot...)

Unitarian Universalists full of shit (from a week ago or so)

Is Standing on the Side of Love a cult? (just had a peek at today's stats. . .)

reverend bill sinkford polyamory (Gotta stand on the side of LOVE for that one eh U*Us? :-) From last night.)

Prove that point.

* With a typo or two corrected and a few hyperlinks added. . .

Pernicious Unitarian Universalist Pastors aka Big Fat UU Wolves In Shepherd’s Clothing Are PUUPs. . .

2011-10-08T09:25:00.005-04:00

And members in The U*U Movement aka U*Us *do* know how to properly pronounce PU*UP don't they? :-)

This brand-spanking new UU acronym for "less than perfect" U*U clergy was just coined this morning in this comment that I posted to somewhat cranky Alaskan UU blogger Heather Christensen's 'Nagoonberry' blog post titled 'A Radical Proposal For Digital Literacy'.

The Occupy Wall Street Protesters Declaration Of The Occupation Of New York City & Unitarian Universalist Injustices & Abuses - What's The Connection?

2011-10-04T08:14:00.014-04:00

Unitarian Universalist blogger Patrick Murfin has written quite a good blog post about the Declaration of the Occupation of New York City that the General Assembly of the Occupy Wall Street protesters issued to "explain themselves" on his 'Heretic, Rebel, a Thing to Flout' blog titled 'We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Manifestos--Occupy Wall Street Finds its Voice'

The following comment that I just posted in response to Patrick Murfin's blog post *should* provide a clue as to just what the connection between the Occupy Wall Street protesters' 'Declaration Of The Occupation Of New York City' and certain Unitarian Universalist injustices and abuses is -

That is quite the manifesto.

Talk about "just the facts ma'am". . .

Of course it's not just corporations, which place self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, the Unitarian Universalist Association, and certain "less than perfect" "churches" of the quickly ossifying ism known as Unitarian Universalism, are guilty of doing that too. Indeed the latter are *also* guilty of (mis)using the police force to prevent freedom of expression in the form of peaceful public protest against UU injustices, abuses and hypocrisy. In fact, at 2:00 pm today I have a meeting at the Quebec Police Ethics Commission to deal with an overly aggressive Montreal police detective who threatened me with arrest if I continued my protest in front of the Unitarian Church of Montreal. Not that I haven't been falsely arrested on trumped up criminal charges based upon perjurious UU lies before. . .

end quote

I dare say that the Occupy Wall Street folk's 'Declaration of the Occupation of New York City' may have inspired a few brand-spanking new picket sign slogans for me to display in front of the Unitarian Church of Montreal, to say nothing of 25 Beacon Street and various U*U "churches" in Canada and the U.S.A.

How do these picket sign slogans strike U*U?

U*Us PLACE
SELF-INTEREST
OVER JUSTICE
EQUITY &
COMPASSION

U*Us PLACE
OPPRESSION
OVER EQUALITY
& FREEDOM OF
EXPRESSION

Hypocritical Unitarian Universalists aka UUs Maliciously Talking Behind My Back Have Been In A Position To Kiss My Big Fat UU Ass Since 1994. . .

2011-09-08T12:33:00.012-04:00

Just saying. . .

Or perhaps I should say just Tweeting. :-)

Narcissism And Entitlement Are The Big Fat UU Sins Of Unitarian Universalists In General And "Less Than Humble" Big Fat UU Clergy In Particular. . .

2011-09-05T14:08:00.012-04:00

Butt don't take *my* word for it U*Us, take the Big Fat U*U Word of Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein, as posted to the 'Public and Pastoral Ministry: Honest, Passionate and Theologically Informed Leadership' post of her resurrected Peacebang blog, with some additional input from U*U clergy misconduct authority Rev. Deborah Pope-Lance. . .

"Do we not believe that souls are at stake here? Do we not feel that the question of how one orders their spiritual life is of utmost urgency to the individual and to humanity? Do we not know by now that narcissism and entitlement are the besetting sins of middle class American culture (the locus of most Unitarian Universalist and United Church of Christ pastoral ministries), and that we are called to challenge them?"

Interestingly enough U*Us, to say nothing of ironically enough. . .

U*U clergy misconduct expert Rev. Deborah Pope-Lance is of the opinion that capital 'N' Narcissism, if not Big Fat U*U Entitlement, is the root of all evil Unitarian Universalist clergy misconduct, U*U clergy sexual misconduct and otherwise. . . at least that would seem to be the main thrust of the 191st Berry Street Essay that Rev. Pope-Lance delivered during the 2011 UUA GA Ministerial Conference of June 22, 2011, at Charlotte North Carolina.

Allow me to quote a few paragraphs from her Berry Street Essay verbatim -

"From my work with afterpastors I can tell you that these attitudes (i.e. humility, integrity, respectability and appreciation for another’s needs) are in sharp contrast to the attitudes of those who engage in misconduct. Regardless of the type of misconduct, whether sexual or financial or emotional or other, woven into the fabric of all misconduct is a common thread: a narcissistic attitude. A self-attentive and self referential attitude. An obliviousness to others’ needs. A lack of empathy.

We see narcissism in politicians, in those who wield the power of their office to have what they want and to get what they need, without regard to others. Arrogant, entitled, and grandiose, narcissism clouds judgment, leads to poor choices, and makes for bad behavior. Narcissism deludes some into thinking they won’t get caught. Others to imagining the rules don’t apply to them. Narcissism is expressed in behaviors that intrude, control, manipulate, and exploit; in interactions that are self serving, duplicitous, and secretive.

Narcissism may be no more common a clinical diagnosis among ministers than the general population. Still, among those engaged in ministerial practice, a narcissistic attitude is evident in interactive ways---as an expression and experience of the self in relation to others, as a self-ideation in ministerial relationships. At the extreme, self-ideation makes everything in relation to another person, everything that in reality is part of that other and not of the self, be experienced as all about me."

Funny how so-o-o-o much of the above applies to the (thankfully) inimitable Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein herself. . .

No U*Us?

Passive Aggressive Two-Faced Unitarian Universalist Clergy Are A Serious Problem For The Unitarian Universalist Church. . .

2011-09-05T12:11:00.010-04:00

Butt don't take *my* word for it U*Us, take the Big Fat U*U Word of Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein, as posted to the 'Public and Pastoral Ministry: Honest, Passionate and Theologically Informed Leadership' post of her resurrected Peacebang blog. . .

"I happen to think that clergy passive-aggression and two-facedness is a serious problem for the church (and all institutionalized religion), and that is why I celebrate Lillian Daniel for writing a piece that says, “Yea, ministers are sarcastic and dismissive at times.” The mask comes off. Brava. Let’s see more of this. I no more want to have a “You’re Okay, I’m Okay” minister than I want a schoolteacher who praises all of my work as being “A” quality."

Gotta love how Vicki The Impaler repeatedly kicks* "less than perfect" Unitarian*Universalist clergy in the balls in this Peacebang blog post.

No U*Us? ;-)

More later. . .

Probably in the form of some brand-spanking new TEA blog posts inspired by this Peacebang "sermon".

* Figuratively speaking of course, not that I would put it past Peacebang to *actually* kick one or two U*U ministers in the balls one day. . .

Unitarian Universalist Worship Is Often Corpse-Cold Unitarian Awful aka Deadly Awful, Drab, And Painfully Unbeautiful. . .

2011-08-24T18:00:00.008-04:00

Butt don't *my* word for it Unitarian Universalist worshipers aka U*U worshipers, take Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein's word for it, as posted to the 'Humanist Worship And the Arts: The Story of Doves Font' post of her recently resurrected Peacebang blog, in which she asks -

"Why is our (Unitarian Universalist) worship often so deadly awful, drab, and painfully unbeautiful?"

It would appear that Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein's Big Fat U*U Snark about just how corpse-cold Unitarian awful & downright butt U*Ugly Unitarian Universalist worship *can* be has inspired Soto Zen priest, and Unitarian Universalist U*U minister, Rev. James Ishmael Ford to write a responsive blog post entitled 'Sailing Through the Great Night on the U*U Ship Of Fools: A Meditation on Liberal Religion' on his Monkey Mind blog. Rev. Ford asserts that Peacebang "has a bit of a snark streak she almost certainly shouldn't even be held responsible for her inability to avoid a dash of that snark even while owning her own humanism."

God forbid that anyone* should ever hold Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang responsible for her Big Fat U*U Snark Streak.

No U*Us?

That is all for now. . .

* Other than her Big Fat U*U Nemesis The Emerson Avenger of course. :-)

Will UUA President Peter Morales Ask Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang To Anally Impale Sheriff Joe Arpaio On The Statue Of Liberty's Torch?

2011-08-24T09:09:00.008-04:00

Just asking. . .

"Joe Arpaio hasn't seen anything yet," Morales said.
"We will make our disagreement and displeasure known."

WILL GADDAFI SEEK ASSYLUM (Sic) In The UU World aka The UU Movement? :-)

2011-08-24T07:37:00.008-04:00

Some person of inherent worth and dignity from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India was just asking Google this morning. . . ;-)

Will Muammar al Gaddafi aka Muammar al Qaddafi Seek Political Asylum In The U*U World?

2011-08-23T14:58:00.011-04:00

What with the UUA's Standing On The Side Of Love campaign rather questionably cherry-picking the Bible for passages that call for the welcoming of foreigners aka strangers it seems to *me* that Libyan dictator Muammar al Gaddafi aka Muammar "Al" Qaddafi etc. etc. just *might* be knocking on the door of 25 Beacon Street aka *The* Place That Reeks Of Privilege & Hierarchy seeking political asylum in the U*U World any day now. . .

The Standing On The Side Of Love campaign asserts that -

"Throughout history, cultures have argued over how to regard those who come from other lands, and throughout the Bible and other holy books, the verdict convincingly falls on the side of embracing foreigners with respect and support."

The Standing On The Side Of Love campaign goes on to cite Hebrews 13:1-2:

“Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have
shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

Romans 12:13:

“Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

and Matthew 25:35:

“For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.”

in support of that contention.

So if Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar al Gaddafi decides to shack up at 25 Beacon Street the UUA would be rather hard pressed to say no to him, without being accused of hypocrisy. . .

No U*Us?

Unitarian Universalist Ministers aka Big Fat U*U Clergy Are Not Well-Groomed "Less Than Fit" Overwhelmingly Sloppy And Have Horrifyingly Bad Hair Days

2011-08-21T08:53:00.022-04:00

Butt don't take *my* word for it U*Us.

Take the ever so authoritative word of the official U*U maven of all internet social media Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang as posted to the 'More Casual Politicians' post of her 'Beaty Tips For Ministers' blog.

"Clergy are generally not unusually gorgeous and well-groomed, nor to we tend to be fit enough to wear sleeveless sheath dresses. . .
We’re still overwhelmingly sloppy and have horrifyingly bad hair, unflattering clothes (whether formal or informal) and can’t hold a candle to Mitt (Romney) or Michele (Bachmann) in the “with-it and eminently presentable” department."

Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein concludes her Big Fat U*U Beauty Tip For Big Fat U*U Ministers with the following admonition -

"Polished is not synonymous with “conservative” — get that idea out of your little heads right this instant. Nor is “respectful and well-groomed” just about clergy professionalism. It is about the church’s public image."

Funny how Peacebang seems to be so fanatically concerned about how the clothes that she and other U*U wolves in shepherd's clothing wear reflect on the Big Fat U*U Public Image of The U*U Movement aka the U*U "Church" but does not seem to be the least bit concerned about how the poorly chosen words that she utters or commits to writing and publishes on the ever so interconnected and interdependent web of the internet affect the public image of Unitarian Universalism aka the "Church" Of The Tarnished Image. . .

No U*Us?

Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang Was Tempted To Impale Herself On A Sharp Piece Of Dark Chocolate Left Over From An Enormous Easter Egg!!!

2011-08-20T13:49:00.018-04:00

That was given to her by dear congregants from First Parish Norwell Unitarian Universalist Church in April of 2007.

ßü†† don't take *my* word for it U*Us, take *her* word for it, as *posted* to the 'He Waxes His Own Brows' post of her original PEACEBANG'S BEAUTY TIPS FOR MINISTERS* blog.

Just what is it with Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein aka Peacebang and impalement, anal or otherwise**, anyway?

* ALL CAPS "SHOUTING" COURTESY OF PEACEBANG :-)

** The Emerson Avenger duly takes note of the fact that Peacebang aka Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein did not clearly specify exactly what form of impalement she would use to impale herself on a sharp piece of dark chocolate, however we have heard from reliable sources that Peacebang is quite familiar with anal impalement. . .

UUA Moderator Gini Courter Gets An Image Investigation Courtesy Of Peacebang aka Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein With A Little Bit Of Help From TEA. . .

2011-08-17T20:53:00.021-04:00

Image Investigation: UUA Moderator Gini Courter

August 17, 2011 on 12:00 am In Big Fat U*U Cultural Commentary

This interests me a lot. Here’s an image of UUA Moderator Gini Courter, a Unitarian Universalist from Flint, Michigan. Someone obviously wants her to Stand On The Side Of Love for U*U clergy misconduct victims.

Here’s the Ad-Busted photo they’ve put out:

Stern visage, granny glasses, boyish hair. All buttoned up. Whether her mis*handlers intend it or not, she reminds me of none other than Carrie Nation, the famous Temperance Crusader:

On one hand, nothing frivolous about it: no blow-dried pretty girl stuff going on there. On the other hand, not a welcoming image. Not a relational expression, and because she looks quite grimly determined, she does not seem vibrant or energized. She looks like a throwback to the Victorian Era, in fact.

Here’s UUA Moderator Gini Courter again. I should have said earlier that I think she’s AWESOME and I loved her book, Microsoft Office 97: No Experience Required. Look how much more approachable and human she looks here:

If I was consulting with Gini I would insist that we find an image with a more confident gaze, as I think her expression is a bit deer-in-the-headlights for a confident leader, but they’re definitely on the right track there.

See how unbelievably different an image we project through choosing wisely from among photo images thoughtfully provided by the UUA?

The UUA's 2012 Justice GA In Phoenix AZ Should Have A Major Component Of Restorative Justice For ALL U*U Clergy Misconduct Victims

2011-08-15T16:06:00.009-04:00

Just saying as they say.

Or perhaps I should say "Just Tweeting". . .

The Jedi Knight Yoda Is Alive And Well And Living In Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina

2011-08-13T12:13:00.017-04:00

*If* the following free and responsible Yahoo! search done in
Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina is anything to go by. . . :-)

float like a butterfly you can

The Emerson Avenger is *seriously* considering sending a U*U Jihad recruiting team down to Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina to offer the renowned Jedi Knight Yoda the Big Fat U*U Opportunity to be made a U*U Jihadi One Star General in his U*U Jihad Armed Farces.

May The Farce Be With U*Us. . .

A Free And Responsible Search For The Truth And Meaning Of The Rumors Of Rev. Bill Sinkford's Alleged Clergy Sexual Misconduct

2011-08-11T20:13:00.017-04:00

*Could* involve asking a question such as -

Are the rumors about UUA President Bill Sinkford well substantiated?

which is exactly what *somebody* from San Francisco California was just asking Google earlier this evening. . . Personally I think that such a question regarding Rev. Bill Sinkford's alleged, or indeed actual, clergy sexual misconduct (which, as rumor has it. . . led to an acrimonious divorce from his first wife) might be best posed to the UUA and its very aptly named Ministerial *Fellowship* Committee. Not that they would be likely to answer such a direct question in a frank and forthright manner. The person of inherent worth and dignity who asked that question of Google *could* also attempt to contact former members of the now defunct clergy misconduct victims advocacy group 'UUs For Right Relations' who were privy to reliable information about the clergy sexual misconduct complaint that was allegedly brought against Rev. Bill Sinkford and how it played out with the UUA and MFC and ensuing divorce proceedings. I guess if someone was *really* curious they could attempt to access the court records of Rev. Sinkford's divorce on the off chance that the divorce proceedings contained sworn testimony about his alleged clergy sexual misconduct.

Here is the screenshot of the web statistics of today's visit from San Francisco which apparently began as a free and responsible search for the Truth and meaning of Rev. Dr. Forrest Church's much more well known and well-documented clergy sexual misconduct which *could* be described as "wife swiping" which is apparently every bit as acceptable as "wife swapping" in The U*U Movement.

Now *that* is what *I* call a free and responsible Google search. . .

Use All Your Well-Learned Politesse UUs, Or I'll Lay Your UU Soul To Waste. . .

2011-08-11T15:20:00.004-04:00

Just saying. :-)

Why Do Unitarian Universalists aka U*Us Continually Deny Unitarian Universalism's Monotheistic Judeo-Christian Religious Heritage?

2011-08-10T08:06:00.024-04:00

Thirtysomething SAHM U*U blogger with three kiddos Plaidshoes was "just asking" last night in the 'FRUSTRATED WITH THE UUA'* post on her 'Everyday Unitarian' blog.

Here is how I responded to Plaidshoes' Unitarian question that *could* be posed almost every single day these days. . .

You forgot the ever so obligatory Unitarian question mark when you asked -

Why do we continually deny our heritage.

One answer to your question, courtesy of UUA President Peter Morales, *might* be because Judaism and Christianity (to say nothing of Islam and other "old religions") are "obsolete religions, created for another time" that only "lead to tribalism, violence, suspicion, hatred, and oppression" and "contribute to the darkness" of "hatred, injustice, prejudice, ignorance". . .

But don't take my word for it. Take Rev. Peter Morales' word for it, as posted to the internet in his 'Religion For A New America' sermon which recycles his rather questionable "stump speech" announcing his candidacy for UUA President. The YouTube video of Rev. Peter Morales delivering this "stump speech" cum sermon, along with the original internet posting of the full text of the sermon have been "memory holed".

Come to think of it.

It is not so much a question of denying Unitarian Universalist religious heritage as outright trashing it.

We light this Chalice
To bring embarrassing U*U Truth to Light. . .

We light this Chalice
For the heat of lighting a fire under hypocritical U*U asses.

We light this Chalice
For the energy of The Emerson Avenger's U*U Jihad.

Mary Ann Moore (sorta)

* ALL CAPS SHOUTING courtesy of Plaidshoes herself, albeit quite possibly unintentionally so.

Frank Zappa & The Illinois Enema Bandit Aid & Abet The Emerson Avenger In Giving The U*U Movement A Public Enema

2011-08-09T11:58:00.025-04:00

The following plagU*Urized version of 'The Illinois Enema Bandit'* by Frank Zappa is brought to constipated U*Us U*U World-wide courtesy of the Reverend Doctor Eric Theodore Cartman III. . .

And now folks it's time for Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein to deliver our special Illinois Enema Bandit-type announcement take it away, Peacebang!

"This is a true story
About a famous criminal
From Soviet Canuckistan
This is the story of Robin Edgar
A man who's NOT serving time at this very moment
For the crime of disturbing U*U Movement "shit".

It so happened, that at the time of the snubbery
Robin, decided to give his female victims
A little enema
Apparently, there was no law against that
Butt his name lives on
Robin Edgar
The Emerson Enema-Venger!"

The Emerson Enema*Venger
I heard he's on the loose
I heard he's on the loose
Lord, the pitiful screams
Of all them Harvard-educated women...
He'd just be tyin' 'em up
(They'd be all bound down!)

He just be pumpin' every one of 'em up with all the bag fulla
The Emerson Enema*Venger juice

The Emerson Enema*Venger juice

He just be pumpin' every one of 'em up with all the bag fulla
The Emerson Enema*Venger juice

He just be pumpin' every one of 'em up with all the bag fulla
The Emerson Enema*Venger juice

The Emerson Enema*Venger
I heard it on the news
I heard it on the news
Boston Massachusetts he has caused some alarm
Just sneakin' around there
From church to church
He's got a rubberized bag
And a hose on his arm

Lookin' for some rustic U*U rump
That he just might wanna pump

Lookin' for some rustic U*U rump
That he just might wanna pump

Lookin' for some rustic U*U rump
That he just might wanna pump

The Emerson Enema*Venger
One day he'll have to pay
Some day he'll have to pay
The police will say, "You're under arrest!"
And then the judge would have him for a *special* guest
And then the D.A. will order a secret test
And stuff his pudgy little thumbs in the side of his vest
Then they'll put out a call for the jury folks
And then the judge would say, "No U*U jokes!"
They'll drag in the 'Venger for all to see,
Sayin' "Don't nobody have no sympathy. . .
Hot soapy water in the third degree!"

And then the 'Venger might say,

"Why is everybody looking' at me?"

Well did you cause this misery?
Well did you cause this kinda misery?
Well did you cause this misery?

Now, one girl shout: "Let the 'Venger be!"

'Venger are you guilty?
'Venger are you guilty?
Tell me now, What's our plea?

Another girl shout: "Let our friend go free!"

'Venger, Did you do these deeds?

The 'Venger say, "It must be just what they all needs..."

"It must be just what they all needs..."

"It must be just what they all needs..."

"It must be just what they all needs..."

"It must be just what they all needs..."

"It must be just what they all needs..."

* It should be noted that Frank Zappa's 'The Illinois Enema Bandit' song is one of the tracks recorded live on the 'Tiny Is As Tiny Do' bootleg album. The Emerson Avenger would like to ever so opportunistically take this opportunity to rather pointedly point out to U*Us U*U World-wide that The Tiny Declining Fringe Religion™ *IS* as The Tiny Declining Fringe Religion™ Does. . .

Frederick S. Lane Author Of Cybertraps for U*Us Young And Old Is Standing On The Side Of LOVE For The Emerson Avenger

2011-08-09T09:25:00.015-04:00

Frederick S. Lane is an author, attorney, and expert witness. He is an expert on the impact of emerging technologies on society, with a particular emphasis on the personal and workplace privacy of the U*U World, The Emerson Avenger's studious use and misuse of technology, and the Big Fat U*U Culture War with The Emerson Avenger aka The War Of The U*U World. Frederick S. Lane has written six books, including butt not limited to 'Cybertraps for U*Us Young And Old', he has lectured extensively over the past decade, and has provided expert witness services in the field of computer forensics.

And *here* is how Frederick S. Lane is Standing On The Side Of Love for The Emerson Avenger -

There are few members of the U*U blogosphere that I admire more than The Emerson Avenger. For the past 15 years, he has nearly single-handedly waged war against the forces of sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity that have all but overwhelmed the so-called Tiny Declining Fringe Religion™, 25 Beacon Street in Boston, and much of Unitarian Universalist society aka The U*U World. Even better, TEA was kind enough to invite me on his blog in August 2011 to parody my third book, 'The "Less Than Decent" War Of The U*U World: The Campaign aka U*U Jihad To Cleanse The U*U Movement With*By A Big Fat U*U Public Enema'. For a struggling and (still) largely unknown writer, that's the equivalent of a Papal benediction; even five minutes later, it's probably the first thing that people will mention when they introduce me to a lecture audience.

As a smart, passionate, and unabashedly scatological moral arbiter of The U*U Movement aka Unitarian Universalist society, The Emerson Avenger calls 'em like he sees 'em, and to this resident of the People's Republic of Burlington (VT), his Big Fat U*U Accuracy is pretty impressive.

Rev. Arthur Powell Davies And Rev. Naomi King Help The Emerson Avenger To RIP * TEA® New Assholes For Abusive AndOr Hypocritical UU Souls

2011-08-08T08:50:00.034-04:00

With Yet Another PlagU*Urized Unitarian Universalist Quotation. . .

"Life in the U*U World is just a chance for The Emerson Avenger to RIP you a new U*U Soul."

Or was it -

"Life in The U*U Movement is just a chance for The Emerson Avenger aka TEA® to TEA® you a new U*U Soul."

perhaps? :-)

OK Big Fat U*U Truth be told. . .

What Rev. Arthur Powell Davies aka Rev. A. Powell Davies *really* said was -

"Life is just a chance to grow an U*U soul."

The above plagU*Urized Unitarian Universalist quotations *ALL* come *courtesy* of Rev. Arthur Powell Davies, the non-U*U minister of All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, D.C. from 1943 until September 26, 1957 when he became a quite literal corpse-cold Unitarian. Rev. Arthur Powell Davies can thank his lucky stars that, thanks to being an AUA Unitarian minister in pre-UUA Unitarianism and *also* being a Unitarian minister *before* CUC Executive Director Mary Bennett's Big Fat U*U Corporate Identity Fi*ASS*Co., he was *not* actually a Unitarian*Universalist aka U*U aka a member in The U*U Movement and therefore was *not* the U*U minister of All U*U Souls Church Unitarian*Universalist in Washington D.C. :-)

Will UU HULK Illumine How Unitarian Universalists Can Create New Love, New Life & New Hope For Peace With The Emerson Avenger? ;-)

2011-08-07T10:25:00.010-04:00

Just asking as they say. ;-)

Nothing In All The UU World Is More Dangerous Than The Sincere Ignorance And Conscientious Stupidity Of The U*Us aka Unitarian Universalists

2011-08-07T09:07:00.014-04:00

It never ceases to amaze me how this real world famous quotation, courtesy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is so-o-o-o shamefully applicable to The U*U Movement aka Unitarian Universalism.

I mean, let's face it U*Us, what in ALL of the so-called U*U World could possibly be more dangerous than the sincere ignorance (to say nothing of the shamefully obstinate willful ignorance) and often quite conscienceless conscientious stupidity of Unitarian Universalists themselves?

This brand-spanking new Emerson Avenger blog post is brought to U*Us U*U World-wide by a person of inherent worth and dignity from Neenah, Wisconsin, who just ran the following free and responsible Yahoo! search for the Truth and meaning of this famous Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quote about how sincere U*U ignorance and conscientious U*U stupidity is a serious danger in the U*U World-

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." -- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

Rev. Taquiena Boston Kicks Rev. Dr. Tracey Robinson-Harris And Rev. Beth Miller In The Balls For Condoning Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein's Abusiveness

2011-08-06T09:54:00.023-04:00

"Be careful of going stupid, whenever you don’t wish to be held accountable. And furthermore, even when you are an ally, you still hold seats of power. The key question to always ask the other is this: am I willing to live in solidarity with you?"

Rev. Taquiena Boston Unitarian Universalist minister, educator, activist, and current Director of Multicultural Growth and Witness, the new staff group resulting from the merger of Advocacy and Witness and Identity-Based Ministries by the cash-strapped UUA.

This plagU*Urized Unitarian Universalist quotation comes courtesy of Rev. Naomi King's Unitarian Universalist Quotes blog. Needless to say it is all too applicable to numerous other stupid U*Us, including but by no means limited to "less than bright" U*U clergy, who are guilty of "going stupid" in various ways and thus opening themselves up to being held accountable by The Emerson Avenger if U*Us in positions of responsibility aka "seats of power" refuse to hold them accountable for their stupid and harmful words and actions first. . .

The Emerson Avenger would hereby like to ever so opportunistically take this opportunity to freely and (ir)responsibly publicly thank Rev. Naomi King for -

AIDING AND ABETTING THE EMERSON AVENGER IN KEEPING THE FIRE OF A BIG FAT U*U FLAMING CHALICE BURNING UNDER HYPOCRITICAL U*U ASSES AKA STUPID U*U ASSHATS! :-)

Wife Swapping Unitarian Universalist Style And The Mission Of The Unitarian Universalist Church of Ogden Utah - What's The Connection?

2011-08-06T07:10:00.024-04:00

Unitarian Universalist wife swapping has been getting some attention recently in the U*U blogosphere thanks to Rev. Daniel Harper's recent 'Historical document on the sexual revolution within The U*U Movement' blog post and U*U commentary thereupon. Supposedly Unitarian Universalist wife-swapping is now a thing of the past in the U*U World if one is to believe the "spin"* of Rev. Dan Harper and most if not all of the commenters on his blog posts about how "The Sexual Revolution" impacted on the U*U World like a Big Fat U*U Asteroid smashing into it. . . But what about those pesky Polyamorist U*Us? Isn't Unitarian*Universalist Polyamory somewhat *akin* to what *some* U*Us call "Wife-Swapping" or at least "Open Marriage"?

Anyway. . .

Regardless of whether or not U*Us want to call "less than monogamous" sexual relations "wife-swapping", "open marriage" or polyamory (wants a crack at her?), to say nothing of dozens of U*Us "screwing in sleeping bags" or even engaging in some 1970's style U*U "rape" aka slU*Utishness. It seems to *me* that "wife-swapping" is alive and well in *some* parts of the U*U World. Like Ogden Utah for *example* where it would seem that the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ogden recently ran an advertisement in the Ogden Standard Examiner newspaper for an upcoming wife-swapping event. Well at least that is what U*U Jihad Secret Agent James Bondage ahem *undercover* in Ogden Utah has informed the U*U Jihad Ministry Of Truth earlier today.

It would appear that Ogden Utah Unitarian Universalists are still a bit closeted in their Big Fat U*U Wife-Swapping activities so they used a secret code in the newspaper advertisement that U*Us "in the know" would "get" but most other persons of inherent worth and dignity would perceive as a purely charitable clothes swapping event. This poorly conceived U*U code was so stU*Upendously *simple* that our U*U Jihad Military Intelligence cryptologists were able to decode it in a matter of seconds aka less than a New York minute. . .

Without further ado here is the full decoded text of the advertisement for a Big Fat U*U Wife-Swapping Event that U*U polyamorists from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ogden in Utah placed in the Ogden Standard Examiner newspaper yesterday -

Unitarians to host wife swap

Fri, 08/05/2011 - 7:14pm

OGDEN — An all-ages wife swap will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 705 23rd St.

This is an all-ages event, so bring wives for adults and children. If you have wives that don’t fit or that you don’t like any more, come and trade with someone else.

You can trade as many wives as you bring, so if you have 20 wives with you, you can pick 20 to take home with you.

As the organizers have no way to clean wives that night, ALL wives must be clean (fresh out of the shower and dried aka "less than wet") and in good repair.

Also, bring your gently used U*U sex manuals or U*U sex toys that you no longer need, and trade those for new (to you) items.

The event is open to everyone except Christians and Republicans, however Mormons are more than welcome to come.

Volunteers are also needed to help with setup and cleanup.

end quote

Sounds like a good time will be had by ALL to me. . . ;-)

* Spin as in "Spin The Bottle" perhaps? ;-)

Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray Has Been Found Guilty By Arizona Judge David Seyer For Willfully aka Consensually Engaging In Civil Dis-O-BDSM

2011-08-05T11:43:00.008-04:00

That's right U*Us.

Not unexpectedly. . .

The Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray has been found guilty by an Arizona judge for willfully failing to comply with a police order. Frederick-Gray, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix and head of the Arizona Immigration Ministry, had been part of a *human chain* blocking the entrance to the Maricopa County Fourth Avenue Jail on July 29, 2010, in protest of Arizona’s anti-illegal immigration law, SB 1070.

Judge David Seyer, of the Maricopa County Justice Court, announced the verdict on August 2. In addition to Frederick-Gray, he found nine other activists guilty. Four of them had been *physically chained together* with Frederick-Gray. Five others formed a *human chain* by linking arms in front of the jail. Sentencing is scheduled for August 23.

The verdict came two days after the conclusion of the trial of Unitarian Universalist Association President Peter Morales in the same court. Morales was tried along with Salvador Reza, a lead organizer with the immigrant rights group Puente, and two others. Sayer did not announce a verdict in the Morales case when he found Frederick-Gray guilty of Civil Dis-O-BDSM.

This U*U Breaking News courtesy of a brand spanking new UU World article entitled Arizona minister guilty in U*U Civil Dis-O-BDSM case