tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72459861550286892412024-03-19T06:09:03.729-07:00Worth and Dignity of Every Being?LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-11980365723976932952021-06-11T12:55:00.002-07:002021-06-11T12:55:51.266-07:00Update 2021 - Contribute and Get Involved<p> After a long hiatus the Unitarian Universalist Association has undertaken the project to review Article II of the bylaws that concern our Principles and Purposes, including the First Principle. They have established an Article II Commission. The hope of this work is to see how Unitarian Universalists can best covenant with all of life.</p><p>To learn more about this Commission, go<a href="https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p><p>To become involved at General Assembly 2021 (Virtual) go <a href="https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission/blog/a2sc-ga2021" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</p>LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-84395191943332426162018-06-28T09:45:00.002-07:002018-06-28T09:45:38.676-07:00Post General Assembly 2018 Update - What's next for the FPP?<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dear First Principle Project Sponsoring
Congregations and Interested Individuals,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The First Principle Project has now been in
existence five years, starting after the 2013 General Assembly. Since that time
we have reached with our programs and leadership every single UU congregation.
Our goal of supporting life on this planet through encouraging conversations
about how we respond to a multispecies existence has been partially achieved.
There is still much work to be done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As the facilitator of this project I am asking you
what you need from this network of congregations and from the social capital
that has been produced. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am unsure of
next steps, as it is up to you and your guidance about what we all do together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are willing, please respond to this email and
discuss with one another what we might do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>meantime,
here are some updates that might inform the discussion:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">1. The UUA Board will not be forming a Study
Commission on how we might change our principles to reflect the issues that the
First Principle Project (FPP) raised, which also includes the 8th Principle
Project which we supported during the 2017 General Assembly. Instead the Board
will be guiding a conversation with Unitarian Universalists over the next year
to see how "who we are" and "where we want to go" might be
better reflected in our principles. Your congregation engaging in this process
will continue the goals of the FPP.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2. Our efforts to support a Congregational Study
Action Issue (CSAI) on multispecies aspects resulted in two congregations adapting
the original template to one single one that was more oriented towards
intersectionality with a multispecies emphasis. One congregation went forward
with this CSAI to General Assembly. The delegates voted instead for another
CSAI that concerned white supremacy and intersectionality. Your congregation
engaging in this CSAI will continue the goals of the FPP.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">3. The UU Animal Ministry continues its good work
and would be a place to engage with others your continued multispecies
ministries. Please visit them at www.uuam.org to see their resources and how
you might get involved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It may be that the FPP will not continue as it has
been. If that is the case, I thank you for the honor and privilege of serving. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yours in the hope for all beings,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rev. LoraKim Joyner, DVM</span></div>
<br />LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-51030135239203070382018-03-13T06:28:00.003-07:002018-03-13T06:34:54.915-07:00Understanding Intersectionality for the Freedom of All<h3 style="font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-style: italic;">First delivered as a sermon on Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend 2018 at the Community Unitarian Universalist Community at White Plains, NY </span></h3>
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<span style="font-style: italic;">Rev. Dr. LoraKim Joyner</span></h3>
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<br />I was born into a racist culture and family – specifically in Atlanta, Georgia. We moved to Northern Virginia in 1968, only a few months before Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. My parents enrolled me in Louise Archer Elementary School an all African American school, founded in a black neighborhood mostly fenced off from white suburbs. I started only a few months after the school had been desegregated and I was in the first batch of white children to attend.<br /><br />I found myself making friends quickly Thea, who I invited home so that we could practice a school play. She lived nearby, but on that the other side of that fence, which we climbed to get to my house. My mother came home from work and saw us playing in the living room and told me to get Thea to leave. As soon as she left my mother slapped my face and said, "Don’t you ever bring another _______ into this house again."<br /><br />My family has a lot of work to do and so do I to combat that training of seeing more worth in some than others, undoing the fear that I would be loved less if I thought any differently. Though my example is more extreme than many, none of us escape this enculturation.</h3>
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My family is not just my biologic nuclear family, but it is my cultural family anchored here in the USA. I didn't know how that family had trained me into a dominating colonizing culture until I started to work in Latin America. I consulted with the Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery project. Once a million of these lived on the island precolonization, but by 1973, only 14 remained<br /><br />The indigenous people were long gone due to European colonization, and the parrot nearly went extinct due to the large deforestation of the island after the USA invasion and colonization in 1898. The USA collapsed the Puerto Rican economy and put sugar cane all over the island. Due to extreme efforts the parrot numbers somewhat rebounded. But the recent hurricanes this late summer, Irma and Maria, devastated the people and the parrots there, vulnerable due to past and ongoing extraction economies, and instutionalized racist and speciesist business, taxation, and aid practices.<br /><br />My human, USA family has a lot of work to do, and so do I because I benefited and continue to do so at the cost of the many. None of us escapes the work to stop this extraction and domination economy that marginalizes and colonizes.<br /><br />I responded to the work my human family and I had to do by taking up the call to Unitarian Universalist (UU) Ministry. My sense of family grew to incorporate Unitarian Universalism. While preparing for the ministry I learned the long, hard, and painful history of how Unitarian Universalists had made many mistakes in how people of color were treated in our movement, as evidenced by the book, "Black Pioneers in a White Denomination," multiple painful episodes since, and ongoing ones as evidences in this book.</h3>
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My UU family has a lot of work to do. I know this because I am at the forefront of a UU movement to understand how what harms animals, also harms humans. We ask how extending our sense of the inherent worth and dignity to individuals of all species helps humans too. This work brings up the pain and loss of how deficient UUs have been with people, as well as other species. This is uncomfortable, painful, and stressful, and it seems that none of us can say or do the right thing. Sound like fun? It is hard, but there is a tang of freedom in the air. Even if you aren't UU, <span style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a dataquery="#txtMedia1ns7" href="https://www.uua.org/">join us </a></span>as various possible denominational change, votes, and study groups are coming in the future. My family is doing the work, and we need to do more, for we have not won freedom yet</h3>
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<br />Our work for freedom means addressing intersectionality. Intersectionality means that oppression is experienced differently based on our various identities. Women experience oppression differently than men, and blacks different from whites, and hence black women experience oppression from being both black and female. The corollary is also true - we benefit from a system that oppressed others based on our identities and locations of privilege. I am white human North American from the lower middle class -this gives me privileges that others have, and oppressions that others don’t have.<br /><br />Intersectionality also means that there are core oppressions that intersect all identities. Some call this core oppression patriarchy, which isn't really about men, so relax guys. It is a culture based on seeing different others as less than, which is tied to dominance, power over, white supremacy, and inequality, all of which catch each of us in a sticky web of harm and benefit.<br /><br />What does the work of intersectionality look like?<br /><br />First off, it is not shame or blame or pointing fingers at who oppresses more or is oppressed more. We all are enculturated to be oppressors and oppressed. We are not to blame, but we are responsible. All of us.<br /><br />The world has lived with 500 years of modernity and colonization to hide the reality that we are inextricably tied to one another and all life in beauty, tragedy, and death. "Wishing for life at any price continuously calls forth death - the death of other people, other beings, the extinguishing of languages, ideas cultures, and worst of all, possibilities and degrees of freedom" (Andrea Weber). We all are trapped. Our work for freedom is undoing the core oppression for our co-liberation. For this liberation we must learn to "live without fear and to die courageously."<br /><br />This is a death of individualism so that all are centered. In the circle of life, the suffering of another is also ours. In the countries I work in Latin America there is constant evidence of the devastation of colonialism and USA foreign policy. The people I work with, descendants of disappeared indigenous cultures and slaves, and the dearth of wildlife, do not let me forget it. But I am so alive there for it takes everything I’ve got to show up and be vulnerable. What began as a wound ends in a caressing touch. I’m undone and then made whole.<br /><br />The work for freedom means we center the marginalized voices. Our individualism dies every time we allow another to speak. And we are born again.<br /><br />We must center what we marginalize within ourselves. Miki Kashton, a leader in Nonviolent Communication, told me a few weeks ago to not believe a thing you grew up thinking or doing, for it was all based on core oppressions. We need to lay aside the armor that doesn't protect us, but fetters us. Let us lay that burden down.<br /><br />We must center ourselves in history, ecology, and biology. We must look at past societal practices and how we have been harmed and benefited. Thanks goodness for our neuroplastic brains which are ready to believe that power over is the only way to meet our needs, but can also learn that cooperation and co-liberation brings flourishing to many lives. We must accept that we will die and no level of control will stop that. We must embrace reality - to accept all that is now and also, paradoxically, do everything in our power to change it. We are so powerful in freedoms return embrace.</h3>
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<br />We need resilience because we tread a fragile path of feeling shame, separation, and oppression, but there is joy lurking in that journey. We can take a beginning step by sharing our social location when we meet with others, without shame or blame, being honest of our privilege and oppression. We confess. Here is an example.<br /><br />My name is LoraKim Joyner. I identify as a white human heterosexual female of European descent raised in the southern USA in the lower middle class, 2 generations from Alabama sharecroppers, currently living outside of NY City. My childhood was full of experiences and hard lessons taught from family, friends, the surrounding society, and a dominant oppressive culture that acculturated within me the trappings of privilege, white domination, human domination, as well as victimhood. I am also a mother and grandmother of people who identify as of European/indigenous descent from Honduras. My work in the world is as conservationist throughout Latin America, wildlife veterinarian, Unitarian Universalist minister, and a Compassionate Communication trainer and practitioner.<br /><br />All of this history and categories of oppression and oppressor cannot be unwoven from my relationships. They form me but they do not bind me. We can help each other loose these chains of bondage by sharing how this message intersects with your identities, experiences, and locations of oppression and privilege.<br /><br />I am held rapt by the power and hope of freedom won together, for none are free until all are free. My father in his older years nearly died of heart failure, but miraculously a heart match was found for him quickly. He was a small man so the heart of an African descent girl who had died in a car accident became his. My parents were grateful, and softened.<br /><br />Let us not let death, or the fear of death, keep us from giving our hearts to one another.</h3>
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They who bind to themselves a joy</div>
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Do the winged life destroy</div>
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But they who kiss the joy as it flies</div>
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Live in eternity's sunrise</div>
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(adapted from William Blake)</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">What You Can Do</span></div>
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1. <span style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a dataquery="#txtMedia1cy9" href="https://www.nocageisbigenough.org/">Join our new Freedom Project</a></span>. This is an international campaign aimed at stopping the wildlife trade - most notably in parrots but also in other wildlife. We will use multimedia to show the vision of all beings being free, such as the picture below of a rescued yellow-naped parrot chick that almost ended up as a pet but was released to fly free. Materials and resources will be available that highlight our slogans, "No Cage is Big Enough," "None are Free until All Are Free." and "Tu Casa No Es Mi Casa." </div>
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2. If you are Unitarian Universalist, join the <span style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a dataquery="#txtMedia7x" href="http://firstprincipleproject.blogspot.com/">First Principle Project</a></span> and engage in the work of <span style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a dataquery="#txtMedia1a4o" href="https://www.uua.org/sites/live-new.uua.org/files/proposed_csai_intersectional_oppression_20171228.pdf">intersectionality</a></span>.</div>
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<br data-cke-eol="1" />LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-18852993044035201122017-06-19T17:35:00.000-07:002018-03-13T06:22:27.923-07:00General Assembly Updates<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">One of our First Principle congregations, along with help from the congregations in Athens, PA and New Orleans, LA, and the Commission of Social Witness, submitted a Study Action Item to be brought to the General Assembly in June 2018. Please vote yes for it. For a current copy, go <a href="https://www.uua.org/sites/live-new.uua.org/files/proposed_csai_intersectional_oppression_20171228.pdf">here</a>. It is titled, "Dismantling Intersectional Justice."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The UUA Board at General Assembly June 2017 announced that it will <a href="http://www.uuworld.org/articles/uua-article-ii-commission">appoint a Study Commission</a> to look at possible changes to our Principles and Purposes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">We are organizing further events and projects. To find out more, read updates on the <a href="http://firstprincipleproject.blogspot.com/p/resources.html">resource page</a>.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">The resources on this website were tuned for General Assembly. We will be updating them once we understand how the Study Commission will function. To get regular updates, visit our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/648805055153160/">facebook page</a>.</span></span></div>
LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-75797479931303784272017-06-18T09:48:00.002-07:002017-06-18T13:27:02.669-07:00FPP: Interconnections<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Nikki J Hunt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The <b>First Principle
Project </b>is more than a bylaw change. It is a deepening of faith and
relationships through conversations with each other when we ask heart and mind
challenging questions:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What does it mean to be
human in a multispecies world? And what is our compassionate response to that
understanding? How can we live more deeply connected to all of life? How can we
love both human nature and all of nature? Exploring these and other questions
together will help us grow stronger, flourishing communities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The FPP challenges us to ask to go beyond this, to look
deeper. There is so much suffering in the world. How do we fix this?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> It is easy to fall into ranking suffering
and say we need to fix this oppression first before this other oppression. This
way of thinking is both symptomatic and prescriptive of a worldview rooted in
domination. When we rank suffering as part of our strategy of change, we will
create solutions that have within them the seeds of domination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Instead of using the tools of domination, the
FPP asks us to use the tools of love--cooperation, compassion, individual and
collective responsibility, and justice. We can help each other widen our caring
and accountability so we can see, more and more, how everyone and everything is
interconnected. When we each do the work of undoing oppression from this place
of our interconnections, then we find solutions to suffering that do not rest
upon or perpetuate the suffering of others. Instead we find solutions that heal
deeply and transformatively. We find solutions that create flourishing for
everyone and everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is why the FPP’s goal is to foster, grow
and deepen conversation around the idea of shifting from “every person” to “every
being.” There are no simple answers and no simple fixes, and such conversations
can be hard and even painful. Yet we are called to rise to engage these
questions together, for this is how we create Beloved Community. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We hope you will vote yes at General Assembly
to continue the conversation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00622364744082195350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-10298507413499323852017-05-30T05:13:00.000-07:002017-05-31T08:27:08.994-07:00Our Principles Daring Us to Rise in Spirit and Justice<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b>A Letter from Rev. Dr. LoraKim Joyner</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Wildlife Veterinarian<br />
Unitarian Universalist Minister<br />
First Principle Project Facilitator<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnukasuCCXRW84KYnT6ccrBm25u2LQ7eX_RVUMOzP9HwterAIkwTa-maPSMcrhvn_MUZRUH8RFDsdvaciDA4byMxe48bK7cOV-JikeS9PExJtd5vxZWGaYZo40O-n1XwxYn1mKKNBLvY/s1600/me+with+chick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnukasuCCXRW84KYnT6ccrBm25u2LQ7eX_RVUMOzP9HwterAIkwTa-maPSMcrhvn_MUZRUH8RFDsdvaciDA4byMxe48bK7cOV-JikeS9PExJtd5vxZWGaYZo40O-n1XwxYn1mKKNBLvY/s320/me+with+chick.jpg" width="212" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">To my
fellow Unitarian Universalists:</span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The time
has now come upon us after many years of hard work. This coming General
Assembly in New Orleans, June 2017, we will vote to appoint a study commission considering how
we might change the First Principle (and/or other principles) to reflect the
inherent worthy and dignity of every being.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It has
been a beautiful process, full of joy and of pain, both of which are needed for
change. During this time I have seen in
you a growing depth, increasing connection to life and to others, startling and unexpected awe and wonder about
what life might hold for us, and a greater hope for justice of all kinds in
this time of peril. I have recorded a few comments from others:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Reflecting
on the First Priniciple Project (FPP) has changed my life. I feel so much<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">more
compassion for myself and others."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“The FPP has surprised
me about the depths of interconnection and beauty that is in life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
has grown my faith in UUA and in my life."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Our
UUA needs this gift, for ourselves and others as we nurture each other, the
earth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
other species. If we can pass this it will help us towards improving our anti-racism work,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">understanding
intersectionality, and promoting justice.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Let me ask
you:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Will you take the risk to hold difficult conversations and feel uncomfortable, slowing
down and taking the time to reap rich rewards for the future?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Will you be
willing to let go of a perceived sense of separation from life, that causes the malaise of disconnection and loneliness? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Will you heal yourself so that you can heal an aching and disconnected world?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Will you dare to rise to see all life as interconnected in beauty, worth, and dignity,
growing compassion for humans, other species, and yourself?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here is a
video asking if we dare to rise:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3AD4jTMSEw4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3AD4jTMSEw4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I hope that
the answer to these questions about growing love, compassion, and justice is
yes, for the world needs us as never
before. We can lead the way to help
others surmount the challenges before us, but only if we say yes to life, and
open ourselves to the risk of change and the responsibility that
interconnecting beauty and worth places upon us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Loving every part of the world and embracing reality is a great
responsibility. I work in the most
dangerous country in the world for environmentalists, Honduras. There I partner
with the indigenous people in conservation and humanitarian projects that
promote environmental justice. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This
is my calling as a Unitarian Universalist minister and wildlife veterinarian -
nurturing nature, ours, yours, theirs, the earth's. I approach this deeply meaningful work by
knowing that the health of each individual is inextricably interrelated - we
are one earth, and one health.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I heard this same sentiment expressed by Tom</span><span lang="ES-HN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">á</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">s, an indigenous leader of the
Miskito people in Honduras. I am there to witness and stand in solidarity with
the villages that wish to resist the overwhelming forces that seek to extract
their trees, steal their wild parrots for the illegal wildlife trade, take
their land, and impose violence, corruption, and the drug trade as a way of
life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tomás stood up to these forces that were destroying
his ancestral lands. For his efforts, he
made enemies who ambushed him one day, and he was shot 4 times. He nearly died. His whole village had to flee
because they were likewise threatened with their lives. Tomas's parent's house was burned to the ground. Yet, four months later
he returned to the ghost-like village to work with me and others on parrot
conservation. We had to hire a squad of
soldiers from the Honduran military to accompany us and keep Tomas and others safe. I asked him why he was willing to risk his
life. He replied, "Doctora, everything is at risk so I am willing to risk
everything. If the parrots don't make it, neither do my people."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
agree that we must take care of the least of these, the most oppressed, and
ourselves as well. To do so we need to investigate the root causes that lead to domination, colonization, and
injustice. To do so I feel we need
conversation, reflection, and study, which may eventually lead to a change in
our principles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
beseech you to vote yes at the General Assembly and encourage other delegates to do so as well.. Let us together bring our principles to life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>Rev.
Dr. LoraKim Joyner</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.firstprincipleproject.org/">FirstPrinciple Project</a> Facilitator<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Co-Director <a href="http://www.oneearthconservation.org/">One Earth Conservation</a></span></div>
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Community Minister, <a href="http://www.cucwp.org/">Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation</a> at White Plains, NY</div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>In the
last 3. 5years there has been much produced documenting the views of Unitarian Universalists
and how we struggle and benefit from engaging in these issues. Please see the
ample materials at our main website:
<a href="http://www.firstprincipleproject.org/">www.firstprincipleproject.org</a> and at our blog: <a href="http://www.ofeverybeing.blogspot.com/">www.ofeverybeing.blogspot.com</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-82830057028453920832017-04-25T10:03:00.002-07:002017-04-25T10:03:44.617-07:00First Principle Project: A Sermon by Nikki J Hunt<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I gave this sermon at
the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Chico on April 23, 2017. Before I
spoke, we showed this video</i>: “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q">How Wolves Change Rivers</a>” </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the past several years, a group
of UUs has been working to officially change our first principle from “the
inherent worth and dignity of every person” to “the inherent worth and dignity
of every being.” This group formed the First Principle Project and are working
their way through the UUA steps for amending our bylaws. This June at General
Assembly, delegates will vote on whether or not to send this proposal to a 1-2
year study commission. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What does it mean to be human in a
multi-species world? In many ways, this question is at the epicenter of the
First Principle Project. Changing our first principle from “every person” to
“every being” is much more than a shift of one word. This simple change invites
us into a deeper, more complex conversation about what it means to be human,
how we understand the divine, and why we are here. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I was five, my mother taught
me how to catch butterflies. There were patches clover in the stretch of green
between the apartment buildings where we lived. She said I had to be able to be
very still on the outside and on the inside too. I remember the first time I
caught a butterfly. I was thrilled, feeling the soft flutter of wings on my
palms. I could open my fingers a crack and peek inside. Sitting there in the
sun, smiling at my accomplishment, the soft fluttery touches slowly drew me in
until I was able to really feel the little life between my hands. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I realized how frightened it
must be! My mother had warned me not to touch its wings or it might not be able
to fly, and not to hold it too long. But once I connected with the butterfly as
a being and not just an entertainment, I could no longer ignore its fear. Then
I understood why I had to let it go. Over the next few weeks I caught a few
more, but eventually the joy I felt in this new skill paled in comparison to
the echo of pain and fear I felt in the desperate flutter of butterfly wings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I learned some important lessons
about being human that day, beyond realizing that I could feel a connection
with insects as well as with my mother and other humans. I learned what it felt
like to hold the power of life or death in my hands. And I learned that power
comes with responsibility. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We live in a tumultuous time. Many
of us are challenging the system of domination with its reliance on power-over.
Many of us are working to shift away from a world rooted in oppression to a
world where flourishing is nurtured for all—for individual humans, for human
communities, and for the earth and all the many beings that live here with us. Much
of the chaos and crises that explode across the daily headlines are directly
connected to this struggle to birth something new. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because this something new would
benefit everyone, we have a hard time understanding why anyone would stand
against this ideal. Why would anyone be against flourishing for everyone? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I offer that the difference goes
back to what we believe about human nature. Are we humans basically good or are
we basically bad? How we answer this question leads to very different societys.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If we believe that humans are
basically bad, then things like obedience-based education, and
punishment-rooted criminal justice make sense. In this world view, human nature
needs to be firmly and clearly controlled, and it is a lack of appropriate and adequate
control that results in poverty, drug use, crime, homelessness, and all of the
other problems of our modern world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If we believe humans are basically
good, then obedience and punishment smothers and harms the divine spark born in
each of us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My understanding of human nature basically
arises out of a mix of what is called process theology, and science. Process
theology says that we are all a part of divinity and, as such, are co-creators
with God. This means that we all play a part in creating this world every day. Process
theologian Catherine Keller says, “In the image of the creator we are invited
to a creative responsibility—an ability to respond in appreciative relation to
the others, human and nonhuman. To respond not just dutifully but
resourcefully, in the flow of creativity and in the beauty of grace.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unitarian Universalists also value
science as one of the sources that informs our understanding humanity. So what
does science say about human nature? From what I have read, on the whole, we
humans are born with the potential for both good and evil. The relationships we
develop and the environment we collectively create plays a large role in
whether we act for the good of others or whether we act in ways that harm and
oppress others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In <i>Trauma & Evil: Healing the Wounded Soul</i> minister and
psychologist Jeffery Means says, “While the embryonic self is innate and ordinarily
contains the capacity to organize experience, it requires a matrix of
relationships within which to develop and mature to its potential. This means
that the structuralization of the human mind grows out of human relationships…
Relationships and connection with others is more basic and necessary for our
survival and development than is pleasure”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I learned one beautiful way of
summing this up from Rev. Ben McBride at a PICO training last year. He shared
with us a part of traditional Zulu culture. In greeting each other one would
say “I see you.” And the traditional response is “Because you see me, I exist.”
This understanding of our interdependence is reflected in our seventh UU
principle: “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are
a part.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which brings me back to that
butterfly and our first principle. I am called to use the power that I have
responsibly. We are all called to use our power responsibly. Our UU principles
exist as a guide for how we can do this. It is subtle, but the inherent worth
and dignity of every <b><i>person</i></b> elevates humanity above other
forms of life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I see in this an unconscious
reflection of the power-over domination model that permeates our society. This
is the model that gives humans dominion over the world, and we have seen how
well this dominion as fared—it has given us poisoned water in Flint Michigan,
the Tar Sands wastelands in Canada, massive species extinction, and more. This
model is also the model that supports some humans having power-over other
humans which we see in racism, sexism, classism, homophobia. It is a model
rooted in fear and obsessed with control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Speaker and
writer Winona La Duke says, “One of our people in the Native community said the
difference between white people and Indians is that Indian people know they are
oppressed but don’t feel powerless. White people don’t feel oppressed, but feel
powerless. Deconstruct that disempowerment. Part of the mythology that they’ve
been teaching you is that you have no power. Power is not brute force and
money; power is in your spirit. Power is in your soul. It is what your
ancestors, your old people gave you. Power is in the earth; it is in your
relationship to the earth.”</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What would our world look like if
we stopped believing we are powerless? What might we create if we used
power-with to grow a world where everyone’s divine spark was supported and
nurtured? What would our world look like if we saw nature as our partner
instead of our competitor? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First Principle Project Director
Rev. LoraKim Joyner says, “This work of living out our principles is never
easy, for our principles are not an acceptance of the reality under which we
live with imperfect justice and compassion, but a vision for which we ache and
long.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we open up and let go of
trying to control the world—that is where co-creation begins. Words matter.
Changing our first principle from “every person” to “every being” would open us
up to a sharing of power—with each other, with the earth and with the divine.
What will you create today?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00622364744082195350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-33398031129717320782017-02-17T03:11:00.000-08:002017-02-18T05:29:24.915-08:00An Animal World as One<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">An Animal World as One</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">Guest Author: Christopher D. Sims</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">Spoken Word Artist</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">Unitarian Universalist</span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The following poem comes from me asking Christopher Sims how he experienced the First Principle Project and possible bylaw change to the First Principle (inherent worth and dignity of every being). We added discussion questions below for your journaling or small group discussion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-rsFzv1pxgJThGLTqdGQGphpRyNxZU5yWADMRK8gS40gHX5rtzUdaiDTYHQV3UrR4PyndYR4UEADeyQ9ZcI_7PnKu5r37ArciuU1P4QSsl-NSyQSZH09D4XKsFGQ2_R-8ThhpVRJAfA/s1600/Christopher-Sims-Edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-rsFzv1pxgJThGLTqdGQGphpRyNxZU5yWADMRK8gS40gHX5rtzUdaiDTYHQV3UrR4PyndYR4UEADeyQ9ZcI_7PnKu5r37ArciuU1P4QSsl-NSyQSZH09D4XKsFGQ2_R-8ThhpVRJAfA/s320/Christopher-Sims-Edited.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In
the inner city, the concrete jungle,<br />
we are animals inside a cage surrounded<br />
by hate and rage. We are engaged in <br />
activities that call for peace, unity, civility. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The
concrete jungle adjusts to <br />
whoever is in office. I many ways,<br />
it is just us. No real justice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As
a person of color in the concrete jungle <br />
I am concerned about my sisters, my brothers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">My
hermanas and my hombres just the same, <br />
because the concrete jungle has us singing <br />
a collective blues, feeling the same pain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As
we harmonize, there’s a jungle<br />
with wildlife we are not connected to.<br />
About this disconnection what should <br />
we do? <br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
say we leave our lairs to go outside<br />
and breathe deeply fresh air. Say a <br />
universal prayer that recognizes<br />
our collective worth and dignity. Under<br />
our glorious sun that’s how it should be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As
the reflection in the mirror looks back<br />
at me, I contemplate Black Lives Matter<br />
and the plight to include other beings. <br />
Possibly creating new language in complex<br />
times when people of color find our voices<br />
still not being heard. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The
animals, our relatives, have feelings<br />
too. A polluted and warming planet they share<br />
with us. Imagine what they’re thinking<br />
as we lose Gaia’s trust. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">How
do we take care of the oppressed<br />
and protect the animals in their habitats?<br />
<br />
The climate is changing fast so we need <br />
to organize, react. We need to create<br />
policies and solutions that benefit people<br />
and our fellow beings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 11pt;">How
about conversations that leads</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">to
Unitarian Universalist legislation<br />
that honors every being without creating<br />
a segregation of life? I think we have it in<br />
us if we crafted it right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">©
<b>Christopher D. Sims<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">February
4, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Discussion
Questions<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">1. Where do you
feel in your life that you are caged and need liberation? What does liberation
look like for you? How do you get there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">2. Where do you
experience that others are caged and need liberation? What does liberation look
like for others? How do they get there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">3. Where do you
experience that many different kinds of people and animals are caged and need
liberation? What are the oppressive forces that keep our society and biotic
communities imprisoned? What does
liberation look like for all of us together?
How do we all get there?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">4. Where do you
feel disconnected from others, nature, and other beings? How can your
congregation help you, and the many others with the profound sense of
disconnection experienced by so many in modern life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">5. How might
considering that all beings have inherent worth and dignity nurture you and
help you connect to others, the earth, and life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif";">6. How do you
live with tension that others are like you, and are not like you? How might
erasing the line between those with worth and dignity, and those without (in
human perception) help you live and care for others who are different from you?
In other words, how might a First Principle Practice, as it is now, or when it
is changed, help us build communities of justice and flourishing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-77529402662288701322017-02-08T02:56:00.000-08:002017-02-09T04:07:21.277-08:00Resistance is Not Futile<div class="font_8" data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.1" style="border: 0px; color: #0c3c60; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.1.0" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Resistance is Not Futile</b></span><br />
<span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.1.0" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Rev. Dr. LoraKim Joyner</b></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 14px;">
<span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.1.0" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 14px;">
<span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.1.0" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Everyone one of us is held in creation's hand - a part of the interdependent web. - Therefore, strangers need not be enemies, - no one is saved until we all are saved, - and all means the whole of creation.</span></div>
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<div class="font_8" data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #0c3c60; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
Rev. William Schulz</div>
<div class="font_8" data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.3" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #0c3c60; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
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The <a href="http://www.firstprincipleproject.org/">First Principle Project</a> offers tools to address the urgency many of us feel to develop communities or resistance, resilience, and solidarity. We have much work to do, the very reweaving of our culture, to make it stronger, and to make it more beautiful and inclusive. Our evolved biology is a dangerous thing, and that is why we need to be as intentional as we can to guide our culture's evolution.</div>
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<div class="font_8" data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.9" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #0c3c60; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.9.0" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In </span><span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.9.1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sapiens, A Brief History of Humankind</span><span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.9.2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, author Yuva Harari writes "Biology enables, Culture forbids." Biology provides for a vast repertoire of possible cultural expressions, and it is our cultures that can put the brakes on various possibilities, such as violence, sexual coercion, consumerism, etc. This is at once both liberating (we can overcome our biology) and daunting (it is up to us). Harari goes on to write that in fact, though we have made progress in so many ways through various cultural revolutions, suffering seems to increase exponentially in each phase of human development. This is because our cultural myths, which bind our cultures in ever advancing cooperation amongst more individuals, have allowed and thrived on oppression and domineering hierarchies. Each cultural shift appears to give us greater freedom, but really just lands us in a bigger cage with more room for suffering.</span></div>
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<div class="font_8" data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.b" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #0c3c60; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.b.0" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ross Douthat in an opinion piece in the "New York Times" on February 4, 2017, </span><span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.b.1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Who Are We?,</span><span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.b.2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">specifically refers to the myth of the USA being a land of divinely guided settlers and pioneers where the dream of prosperity, freedom, and equality could be achieved by all. The USA was built upon this and much good came of it, yet it is a story of untold suffering for Native Americans, Africans, and the wildlife on this continent. Because of this the myth is losing favor, though it is far from dead, such as seen in the upset election season of 2016 where it seemed there was a backlash against those who would throw away the human and white exceptional story of pioneer America, because so much harm came of it. The problem is that we have no current myth that can both replace it and include it, even honor it, binding us all together, resulting in a political process in shambles.</span></div>
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What myth will work that transcends globalization, commerce, religions, politics, and ideologies, and at the same time recognizes the heritage that made both the American dream possible and deadly? We need a new story that takes into account that there is no beauty without tragedy, and that beauty and tragedy connects all individuals, each of which has inherent worth and dignity.</div>
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A story such as this allows us to forgive ourselves and one another. We could not have gotten here where we are, with the hope of mass cooperation diminishing suffering on a global level, without having gone through our imperialist, genocidal, racist, and extinction producing past. With forgiveness in our hearts for our kind, we can move forward, though with no guarantees.</div>
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<div class="font_8" data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.g" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #0c3c60; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.g.0" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Steven Pinker in </span><span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.g.1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Better Angels of Our Nature</span><span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.g.2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> indicates that we are on a knife's edge - we could go any direction. Our biology can still enable the very worst that we can do to one another. We could lose all the gains over the millennia that though may not have reduced suffering, has reduced violence, and in recent decades, suffering seems possible to diminish with recent decreases in global poverty rates. His solution to what must be done is deluge the world with a story based on an empathetic and deep awareness of nature, human and otherwise. This is a story based on the inherent worth and dignity of each, and that every being strives to live, and live well. No ideology can trump that.</span></div>
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Such a story might allow us to move to the next stage of cultural evolution that actually opens the cage doors and liberates everyone. We need a larger myth that does not give any space to oppression, and only accepts liberation if it is for all of us. And by all, I mean all of creation - all species, all individuals.</div>
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We don't know how to organize under this story politically, or what it looks like, but we do know that what we are doing now is not working. Maybe our new way will be that of a "vitacracy" - a way of organizing our communities that is based on life. The needs of all individuals matter within the biotic community. Each individual of all species has a vote, and indeed does already vote by being part of the whole. We just need to acknowledge those silenced voices, tally their votes, and see where life leads us when we consider the needs of each and all.</div>
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In the meantime, how do we live with the tension of existing in a world of utopian dreams mixed with dystopian nightmares glaring at us through our social and news media? Let us tell the story far and wide of the inherent worth and dignity of all, and let that be our source of resistance, resilience, and solidarity. Maybe hope will come out of that, and maybe not. But for one moment, when we speak of beauty and tragedy indivisible, we are inviting momentous change, and that out of our witnessing must come real political engagement. We persistently ask, "How do we live together, well, all of us?" I don't know exactly, but when we testify, we are living it, and exerting our political selves that resists any way of life that does not accept and affirm all of nature, human nature, and otherwise. Each of us can do this at any moment - in conversation, in activity, and in thought. When we do it together, we are ever more greatly empowered and nurtured.</div>
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<div class="font_8" data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.o" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #0c3c60; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.o.0" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This is what our congregations are for - nurturing ourselves and all of nature, and the call is urgent to do both of these. You can do so by getting involved in the <a href="http://www.firstprincipleproject.org/">First Principle Project</a>. You can also get support and ideas through the Nurture Nature Program. We are seeking to seed Nurture Nature Communities throughout the USA. To find out more of these communities go </span><span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.o.1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-content="https://www.meetup.com/pro/nurturenature/" data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.o.1.0" data-type="external" href="https://www.meetup.com/pro/nurturenature/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">here</a></span><span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.o.2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, and to find out more about the Nurture Nature Program and One Earth Conservation, which facilitates it, go </span><span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.o.3" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-content="http://www.oneearthaconservation.org" data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.o.3.0" data-type="external" href="http://www.oneearthaconservation.org/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">here</a></span><span data-reactid=".0.$SITE_ROOT.$desktop_siteRoot.$PAGES_CONTAINER.1.1.$SITE_PAGES.$a6sc7.1.$comp-irnomeao.0.0.$child.$0.1.$1.$5.$0.0.o.4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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Let our mantra be; "Biology enables life, Culture affirms life."</div>
LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-42234044399649782182017-01-16T06:19:00.000-08:002017-01-16T06:19:21.540-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>UPDATE</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>January 16, 2017</b></div>
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<br />
We now have <a href="http://firstprincipleproject.blogspot.com/p/sponsors.html">24 sponsoring congregations!</a> Thanks to each and everyone who helped this happen! The vote to change the bylaws doesn't happen until General Assembly in June 2017 in New Orleans, but the chance for conversation and community building happens all year long. To become a part of it, please contact <a href="mailto:amoloros@gmail.com">Rev. Dr. LoraKim Joyner</a>, the First Principle Project Facilitator.<br />
<br />
Between now and General Assembly we will be hiring a First Principle Project Coordinator and will be reaching out to congregations and regions to get involved in bringing our principles to life.<br />
<br />
We also will have an <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz4V0S2Af4cBVzdFUlVIYkVLN2s/view?usp=sharing">ad running</a> in the next UU World. You can use <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz4V0S2Af4cBVzdFUlVIYkVLN2s/view?usp=sharing">this add</a> to distribute at your congregations, and please do!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTo3QHL8VHxKC6WwAQDKiGTDcJqzo5elXG5yIal4JGOxvg_pyiIvt35H5OaiJzJfRBeiGR6P0XHPdne5Ghtvg0F0ce7zE2ufeBr2B7G0ZUEIC1t7JihgnRyksGZLN37afUIiiY93DaxQM/s1600/rainbow+earth+purchased.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTo3QHL8VHxKC6WwAQDKiGTDcJqzo5elXG5yIal4JGOxvg_pyiIvt35H5OaiJzJfRBeiGR6P0XHPdne5Ghtvg0F0ce7zE2ufeBr2B7G0ZUEIC1t7JihgnRyksGZLN37afUIiiY93DaxQM/s320/rainbow+earth+purchased.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<br />LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-16439927408898009172016-07-19T06:32:00.000-07:002016-07-19T06:32:59.460-07:00 Nonhuman Rights Project and the Unitarian Universalist Principles<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Guest author: Steven M. Wise</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">President</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Nonhuman Rights Project</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">On
December 2, 2013, I filed a habeas corpus lawsuit in the Fulton County, New </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">York,
Supreme Court demanding the immediate release of a person who had been
imprisoned for years, alone, in a cage in a warehouse on a used trailer lot in
rural Gloversville with nothing but a small television for comfort and company.
The next day I filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of another person who, for
many years, had been imprisoned in a cage in the back of a cement storefront in
Niagara Falls. Two days later I filed a third lawsuit on behalf of two persons
who had been held for five years in the basement of a Stony Brook University
computer building. There wires had been thrust into their muscles and they were
forced to undergo general anesthesia every few weeks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I
filed those three suits as an attorney for the Nonhuman Rights Project on
behalf of chimpanzees. Attached to our habeas corpus petitions were nearly a
hundred pages of affidavits from some of the most experienced and respected
chimpanzee scientists in the world, from Japan, Sweden, Germany, Scotland,
England, and the United States. They demonstrated that chimpanzees have
capacities for autonomy and self-determination, that they possess an autobiographical
self, episodic memory, self-consciousness, self-knowingness, self-agency,
referential and intentional communication, empathy, a working memory, language,
metacognition, numerosity, and material, social, and symbolic culture, that
they have the ability to plan, engage in mental time-travel, act intentionally,
engage in sequential learning, mediational learning, mental state modeling,
visual perspective-taking, cross-modal perception, that they can understand
cause-and-effect and the experiences of others, that they can imagine, imitate,
engage in deferred imitation, emulate, innovate, and use and make tools. Our
arguments were explicitly grounded in scientific fact, justice as it has long
been understood in the Anglo-American tradition, as well as the liberty,
dignity, equity, and equality of each prisoner. In subsequent cases, we filed
seven more affidavits that showed that </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">chimpanzees
routinely bear duties and responsibilities both within chimpanzee communities
and within human/chimpanzee communities. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">In short, contrary to a species solipsism
that permits us humans to pretend that only humans had minds, chimpanzees live
intellectually rich, emotional, and sophisticated individual, family and
community lives. They recall their past and anticipate their future and, when
their future is imprisonment, they suffer the enduring pain of isolation and
the inability to fulfill their life’s goals or even move about as they wish, as
we humans do. In short they are, or ought to be, persons, at least to the
extent of being able to demand freedom from imprisonment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The First Principle of Unitarian Universalism
affirms and promotes the inherent worth and dignity of every “person.” The word
“person” has multiple senses. In the legal world I inhabit it is not a synonym
for “human being”; it is a protean concept. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">A legal “person” is
an entity that evolving ideas of justice, equality, liberty, policy, and
morality demand we ought to treat as if he or she possesses inherent worth and
dignity. “Person,” we show, is not restricted to humans; it is </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">not even a biological category.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">In
its legal memoranda, the Nonhuman Rights Project walked the judges through an
Anglo-American legal history in which, over the last quarter millennium, women,
blacks, Native Americans, children, and others who were once treated as
“things” - those who lack the capacity for any legal rights - and not “persons”
- those who possess the capacity for legal rights. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">We demonstrated how even such entitles as
corporations, ships, Sikh Holy Books, a Hindu idol, and a New Zealand river
came to be treated as “persons” for some purpose in parts of the
English-speaking world, and argued that, as a result of new scientific
discoveries about chimpanzee minds, advances in public morality, and the
accretion of human experience, the time had come for chimpanzees to be treated
as “persons,” at least to the extent of preventing their confinement and
exploitation. Oppressing a chimpanzee who suffers oppression in a way similar
to how we suffer oppressions is morally wrong and is inconsistent with the vision
of the First Principle. Their thinghood strips chimpanzees of their inherent
worth and dignity and relegates them to the status of a nonperson, a slave; it
entirely undermines their ability to exercise their autonomy, as it would
undermine yours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">On the other hand, the word “person” is often
understood outside the courtroom as being synonymous with “human.” To the
extent this sense is enshrined in the First Principle, the “First Principle
Project” seeks to widen the circle of those individuals entitled to be treated
as if they have intrinsic worth and dignity to all beings. That is why the
Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry initiated the First Principle Project, </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">which is now a collaboration
of sponsoring congregations and organizations.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
The First Principle Project proposes that the First Principle be amended to
substitute “being” for “person.” Its purpose is to emphasize that individual
worth and dignity go beyond just human beings to bring all the individuals who
comprise the interdependent web of existence to which the Seventh Principle
speaks within the circle of moral concern. It is fully within this spirit that
the Nonhuman Rights Project works to assure fundamental legal rights to those
beings for whom real legal rights, as well as moral rights, are most appropriate.
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The Second Principle of Unitarian
Universalism is a call for justice, equity, and compassion to human beings. But
in the first quarter of the 21<sup>st</sup> Century, in light of the ongoing
scientific inquiries into the nature of so many nonhumans, it would be unjust
and inequitable to limit the ideals of justice, equity, and compassion to human
beings. The Seven Principles derive from the Six Principles that accompanied
the 1961 formation of the Unitarian Universalist Association, which were
revised and extended to the Seven Principles in 1985. Both the First And Second
Principles were drafted and discussed at a time before the explosion of
scientific knowledge began that has allowed us to begin to understand how
remarkably autonomous chimpanzees are. A more equitable, humane, and just
reading of the Second Principle would take into account the evolution of
scientific knowledge, morals, and human experience, and ask that justice,
equity, and compassion be extended to those who can understand they are benefitting
from it, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The Sixth Principle of Unitarian Universalism
affirms and promotes the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice
for all. Again the question is “who is encompassed by the word ‘all.’” An
appropriate response might be that “all”
should embrace those who can flourish in the medium of peace, liberty, and
justice. Whomever else may be a part of that “all,” science has left us with no
doubt that the chimpanzees the Nonhuman Rights Project has chosen as its first
plaintiffs should. But the science is not limited to chimpanzees. Our knowledge
about the minds of nonhuman animals from great apes to elephants to whales to
parrots and corvids, dogs, and others continues rapidly to expand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The Seventh Principle, introduced in 1985, suggests
respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part: as
early as 1985, the Unitarian Universalists were beginning to look past the
ancient prejudice that only one species, out of the more than ten million who
share the earth, should count. However, the Seventh Principle is vague about
the degree to which humans might respect the many individuals who comprise this
web, and how. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Not only are apes, whales, elephants, and
many others part of the interdependent web of all existence, they are nearly
the same part. The cognitively complex qualities we share should surprise no
one who knows that we also share a substantial portion of our DNA, have brains
that are similarly plastic, flexible, and heavily dependent upon learning. As
Mark Causey, President of the Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry, reminds
us: “</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">we are all made of the same
star-stuff and all share a common destiny. We all share the same hopes of a
life free from harm and suffering and the same aspirations of happiness, love,
and flourishing—being able to express our own unique natures and capacities as
best we may.” Not only is the Seventh Principle a call to embrace something
greater than oneself, but to embrace something greater than one’s species. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Principles of equity and
equality suggest that the Seventh Principle should cause us to embrace any one
of our fellow species consonant with the nature of that species. As James
Russell Lowell wrote: “New occasions teach new duties. Time makes ancient good
uncouth.” The respect to which our fellow beings should be entitled should
harmonize with who they are, and we learning more every now who they are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">If you wish to learn more
about the ongoing work of the Nonhuman Rights Project, please visit our webpage
at </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://www.nonhumanrights.org/"><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">www.nonhumanrights.org</span></a></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, look us up on Facebook, or follow us on twitter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Steven M. Wise, Esq.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">March 30, 2016</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-62486544431067726602016-07-08T13:34:00.000-07:002016-07-09T11:13:03.555-07:00Vows and Bows for Black Lives<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 19.4pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><i>July 7, 2016</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Today was the day I had scheduled to write how changing the <a href="http://www.firstprincipleproject.org/">Unitarian Universalist First Principle </a>from the inherent worth and dignity of" every person" to "every being" can aid human beings, not just in terms of spirituality, wholeness, and becoming fully who we are, but specifically in terms of alleviating the multiple oppressions facing humans. As an advocate for humans and other animals (wildlife veterinarian and Unitarian Universalist minister) I believe that my perspective and experiences can help clarify the moral morass of how we live in a world where harm and benefit are interwoven into the very fabric of all life on this planet. In light of this week's shooting of Alton Sterling in Louisiana by police, the shooting of Philando Castille in Minnesota by police, and the targeted shooting of Dallas police officers by one or more gunmen during a peaceful protest, I don't know how to write through the pain, or how that writing could be of help to anyone. So I write for myself, to make sense of something that cannot be undone, this unraveling of human community that shreds families and lives without end. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Perhaps, if I am honest, I also write to speak to other people of privilege who think that by announcing our take on things we can nullify the anguish. As a white person, isn't it time, as Black Lives Matter commends, that I make a safe space for black people to come together and then go to the back of the room, keep quiet, listen, and have my heart break open? I don't feel silenced. I am silenced. There is a longing for wholeness that washes over me when I am given my marching orders on how to be present to the lived experiences of others. It is no easy task. These events of the last year, and this last week, hit me like a whiplash, my attention ripped from my daily concerns to see more deeply the lives, love, and hurt of others. May I not return my gaze where it once was directed, but draw on agitation and awareness so that my actions angle my path forward ever more towards reconciliation and justice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So today I try to hold the anguish in a very specific way for black lives in the United States. I want to know, I want to feel despair and then anger, and then the thrill of action. But let me be so very human, though a privileged one to be sure, I cannot turn from the pain of police officers. My son, a person of color from Honduras, serves as a police officer in North Carolina. Confusion and anger, his or mine, it's hard to know, seeps into me with every phone call and text between us. He is on the front lines, battling racism as his job calls him to protect, to be safe, and to control situations How can any of us protect those whom we love and create safety when it has all gotten so out of control?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I can only imagine how the family members and loved ones of those who have died and been injured might have woken up this morning, petitioning with a heart too broken perhaps to rise out of bed, "Can't we take back the violence and bring my dear beloved back?" And those of us more removed, did you ask yourself like me this morning, "How can I take back all those years of inaction, of not being completely and soulfully swept up in the beauty and the suffering of the other?" <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It's not that I have been idle. I have dedicated my life towards improving the lives of parrots and people in Central America, including witnessing and being in solidarity with marginalized indigenous groups and those descended from slaves. The trauma of those experiences knows no bounds, nor does the beauty. I get that there is no hierarchy of pain and suffering, and do not judge my efforts and experiences as inconsequential. Even so, I suspect that though I have studied "intersectionality" where the various forms of oppression link to each other, I carry the burden of white supremacist enculturation that demands, "Look at the suffering of this group, now, in the way that I see it!" I have not made or had enough room to love, listen, learn, and act all that I could have.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I vow to do so, as I bow down before the agony of our times. The very act of bowing down low causes to rise up from the body into awareness a sense of humility and interconnection . These I ache for. So I bow before you, dear black lives, dear life, dear earth, dear many others of all species, mourning, and longing </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">to really see the beautiful other, and in holding that beauty, be able to hold their suffering. I want to see the other's point of view, and I want to see it before things get further out of control, before there is any more violence or pain. I pray that we can really see each other, and in that furnace of beauty and suffering, may we find the strength to start again, and again, until we humans find a way to live in humility, awareness, peace, and love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">My prayer finishes with this music video, "Could We Start Again Please?" (This is from the musical, JC Superstar. It was inspired during my time serving as minister to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville, Florida, and transmits my hope of how UU congregations can be a place to start again.)</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I've been living to see you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Dying to see you, but it shouldn't be like this.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This was unexpected,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What do I do now?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Could we start again please?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Now for the first time, I think we're going wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Hurry up and tell me,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This is just a dream.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Oh could we start again please?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I think you've made your point now.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">You've even gone a bit too far to get the message home.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Before it gets too frightening,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We ought to call a vote,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So could we start again please?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i>LoraKim</i></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">*</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rev.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">LoraKim Joyner, DVM, combines her experience as wildlife veterinarian and Unitarian Universalist minister </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">to address the importance of both human and </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">nonhuman well being in considering conservation and care taking strategies.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">She serves as Community Minister affiliated with the Community Unitarian Church at White Plains, NY, Right Relations Consultant for the UU Metro NY District, Facilitator of the First Principle Project, and Co-Director of<a href="http://oneearthconservation.blogspot.com/" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;">One Earth Conservation</a>. Bringing 29 years of experience working in Latin America, she currently has projects in Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Paraguay. She promotes nurturing human nature through relationships with other species and nature in the Nurture Nature Program offered by <a href="http://oneearthconservation.blogspot.com/p/services.html" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">One Earth Conservation.</a></span><br />
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LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-36474585436706905322016-02-18T05:12:00.003-08:002016-03-12T18:21:42.211-08:00Healing and Nurturing Ourselves to Nurture All Life<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The First
Principle Project<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Healing and Nurturing
Ourselves to Nurture All Life<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Rev. Dr. LoraKim Joyner*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For
your sake, for humanity, for earth, and for individual lives and life, vote yes
to endorse the bylaw change that asks Unitarian Universalists to covenant and
to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every being. Be part of your
congregation and our Unitarian Universalist Association leading the way towards
more beauty and more flourishing by nurturing humans to nurture all of nature.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve
been an avian veterinarian for 30 years and a Unitarian Universalist minister
for almost 15 years. I am driven by incredible and hopeful possibilities for
honoring and connecting to nature, including human nature, and thereby making a
more beautiful world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
heal our beleaguered earth and the wounds of human separation from the rest of
life requires a praxis of compassion and ethics. We must more clearly see
humans’ true relationship to life and others and more fully grasp that there is
no disjunction between human and nonhuman nature. We must embody our
interconnection through concrete relationships with discrete individuals, for
otherwise the Unitarian Universalist principle of respect for the interconnected
web of existence is merely abstract. I find affirming the inherent worth and
dignity of all beings to be an expression of this hopeful and healing praxis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
are called to connect to others. While we cognitively know that human health is
intertwined with the earth and all earth’s beings, our diminishingly biodiverse
and increasingly urban and technological world accentuates our impression of
separation and distance from nature. This alienation from nature is an
increasing cause of withdrawal and despair. Yet I am hopeful that a re-enchantment
with the life that surrounds us -- an opening to the beauty, worth, and dignity
in individuals – can motivate us to effect change, nourish our sense of
belonging, and deepen our connection to life. As our own agency is enhanced, we
will come to more fully apprehend the agency of individual life around us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
denomination that covenants to affirm and promote the inherent worth and
dignity of every being is a denomination that invites its members to creatively
re-vision the web of interconnection. That web is not a network connecting some
beings with worth and dignity (humans) with other beings that lack worth or
dignity. Rather, it is a web in which all beings are interconnected <b><i>by</i></b>
sharing worth and dignity; it is a web whose interconnections <b><i>recognize
and reinforce</i></b> each being’s worth and dignity. This re-visioning is our path
of healing. The web of beauty, worth, and health can lift us out of our
spiritual and ecological crisis, but it cannot do so if some beings in that web
are deemed without worth or dignity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
path of healing through re-visioning will take unexpected curves and encounter
unanticipated obstructions. As Unitarian Universalists embark together on this
path of healing ourselves so that we can heal the world, we will discover
surprising things about ourselves, our world, and place of our congregations.
Our free and responsible search for truth and meaning is ever unfolding, a way
forward together that invites us to fall in love with life over and over again.
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Surprised
by love, we go through our days with wonder readily available to nourish us,
for re-enchantment and re-visioning brings an invigorating sense of wonder. It
invites us into Henry David Thoreau's "discipline of looking always at
what is to be seen." Through that discipline we encounter what Stephen Jay
Gould called the "excruciating complexity and intractability of nonhuman
bodies." Suddenly, we see the miracle of expression everywhere. What seemed
unappealing, dull, or even fearful, is revealed as magnificently present before
us. We live in a world of wondrous subjects, each being a life with an interior
experience of life. This transformation of perception of beings represents a transformation
of our selves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Worth
seen everywhere grows compassion everywhere. With vitality and beauty seen
everywhere, wherever we go, we go not alone. Wonder replaces loneliness. Studies
indicate that wonder nourishes our lives, improving our health, spirits,
relationships, and compassion. When wallaby, walrus, whale, and worm provoke
wonder, we are nourished and better able to nourish. But when any being’s worth
is seen as merely instrumental, human lives, too, may be judged merely
instrumental. To distinguish just one
species as having worth and dignity, to set ourselves apart as unique bearers
of worth, only separates and isolates us and perpetuates the wound of
disconnection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Accompanying
us on this visionary path we endeavor the development of a humble curiosity. Approaching
all findings as provisional, declining to obscure the wonder of the moment with
prior concepts, creative possibilities of relationship emerge. We become playful fools, in love with life
that constantly amazes and amuses. Life invites us to fun and frolic as we let
go of our idols of knowledge and control.
Our lives are not bound to others in our mind's definition of life and
worth. Rather, we are bound because all beings who have subjectivity, who
desire to endure and flourish, are bound together. All life has the capacity to
experience that which is harmful or beneficial. All life strives for further
coherence of their embodied selves. Recognizing this, we begin to live wider,
wilder, and deeper lives than human designs alone can realize. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Though
the vision of interconnecting beauty, worth, dignity, and health between
individuals does challenge us with the burden of knowing the harm humans cause
to so many, we move forward nonetheless, perhaps ever more lightly, for we walk
in beauty. As the Navajo Way Prayer suggests, beauty is all around us. This ever present beauty, that is also within
us, connects us to all others. We care for and protect them because we love
them, and we love them because we are part of them, and they are part of us. Healing comes from seeing how we are embedded
in relationships of common experience and existence with other individuals. We, the walking wounded, are healed and
healers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We,
a people who covenant to affirm and
promote the worth and dignity of every being are a people encouraged to
cultivate patient, sensory attentiveness to nonhuman presence – a people emboldened
to live a new story of wholeness in place of the old story of conquest and
consumption. Appreciating the limits of our control and of our understanding,
we can live freely in present and persistent beauty, wonder, and awe. Every denial
of a being’s intrinsic worth and dignity cuts off life from ourselves, and cuts
off life's creative striving expressed in that being. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
we hold that some beings have worth and dignity and some beings don’t, then we
deny ourselves the journey along this spiritual path of healing and hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Every
being has inherent worth and dignity. Seeing it in unreservedly in all others, we see
it in ourselves, and so embraced by life, we bring our Unitarian Universalist
principles to life, nurturing human nature for all nature.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">*</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rev.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">LoraKim Joyner, DVM, combines her experience
as wildlife veterinarian and Unitarian Universalist minister </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">to address the importance of both human and </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">nonhuman well being in considering
conservation and care taking strategies.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">She serves as Community Minister affiliated with the Community Unitarian
Church at White Plains, NY, Right Relations Consultant for the UU Metro NY
District, Facilitator of the First Principle Project, and Co-Director of <a href="http://oneearthconservation.blogspot.com/">One Earth Conservation</a>. Bringing 29 years of experience working in Latin America, she currently has projects in
Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Paraguay. She promotes nurturing human nature through relationships with other species and nature in the Nurture Nature Program offered by <a href="http://oneearthconservation.blogspot.com/p/services.html" target="_blank">One Earth Conservation.</a></span></div>
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LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-70268130389953685612016-02-01T05:42:00.002-08:002016-02-01T05:45:55.223-08:00Three More Congregations Passed the Resolution<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: normal;">We are happy to announce that in January 2016 three new congregations passed the resolution to change the UUA bylaws so that the First Principle reads, "The inherent worth and dignity of all beings." Thanks to them and all those that helped passed this resolution!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: normal;">Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover, MA</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unitarian Univeralist Congregation of the Low Country, Bluffton, SC</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Arlington Street Church, Boston, MA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 1.4;"> We now have 12 sponsoring congregations, and 4 sponsoring organizations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yours could be the next one - may it be so!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rev. LoraKim Joyner, DVM</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">First Principle Project Facilitator</span></span></div>
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LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-91187607420472923552015-11-27T11:24:00.000-08:002015-11-27T11:24:47.918-08:00ON NOT EATING THAT TURKEY: RELIGIOUS SOCIALISM AND RELIGIOUS VEGANISM<div class="headline" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #8d8d8d; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-right: 154px;">
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<b><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Today's Guest Author Rev. M. Lara Hoke</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover, Massachusetts</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry Board Membe</span><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">r</span></b></div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">“The idea that </em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">some lives matter</em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"> less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.” ― Paul Farmer</em></div>
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This Thanksgiving, I don’t know what will bother my friends around the table more—that I’m a democratic socialist or that I’m a vegan.</div>
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Some of my democratic socialist friends tell me that the problem with vegans is that we don’t care enough about people and the oppressions they face. I’ve had progressive friends who support the Black Lives Matter movement say that standing up for animal rights is alienating because it suggests that we care more about animals than about people of color. To me, this makes no more sense than my right-wing friends telling me that if I support Black Lives Matter it means that I am anti-police. I support the Black Lives Matter movement and I am grateful that the police – the good ones, who outnumber the bad – would risk their lives to keep me safe if it ever came to that.</div>
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Some of my vegan friends tell me that the problem with democratic socialists is that we don’t care enough about non-human animals. They point out that although democratic socialists and other political “lefties” think of ourselves as cutting edge and historically marginalized by the establishment, it is animal-rights activists and radical environmental activists who are targeted by the establishment. Just read <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Green Is the New Red</em> by Will Potter, they say.</div>
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Both groups talk about intersectionality of justice issues, yet sometimes fail to see the connections between democratic socialism and veganism.</div>
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Article II of the DSA Constitution and Bylaws states, <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">“We are socialists because we share a vision of a humane social order based on… non-oppressive relationships”</strong> (see: <a href="http://www.dsausa.org/constitution" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">http://www.dsausa.org/constitution</a>). The vast majority of meat and other animal products comes from factory farms, which create enormous suffering for animals and those who work there. Animals live in filth, packed together too tightly to move, with no access to the outdoors. When it comes time to kill them – which could be considered a mercy killing, given their living conditions – they are not killed mercifully. Although bludgeoned or crushed, some are still alive as they are skinned.</div>
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And factory farming involves human suffering, as well. According to the Food Empowerment Project (see<a href="http://www.foodispower.org/factory-farm-workers/" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">http://www.foodispower.org/factory-farm-workers/</a>), “Factory farm workers are consistently exposed to a variety of harmful gases and particulate matter and also suffer from repetitive stress injuries. [They suffer from] chronic aches and pains, respiratory disorders, cardiovascular complications and premature death.” Many of the workers are undocumented and thus afraid to protest unsafe and unhealthy conditions. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">I would like to help my vegan friends make these connections between animal and human suffering and consider that unfettered capitalism is the common culprit.</strong></div>
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Full disclosure: I have been a vegan for about one-and-a-half years. For 15 years before that, I was a vegetarian (with occasional lapses into pescatarianism). I did <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">not </em>become a vegetarian because of animals at all. I became a vegetarian because I read that four pounds of grain led to just one pound of meat. Thus, more humans would have food to eat if we grew more grain for human consumption. I became a vegetarian because I learned that factory farms create an enormous amount of pollution. As Jonathan Safran Foer points out in <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Eating Animals</em>, factory farming is “the number one cause of global warming, it’s responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than everything else put together and the UN has said it's one of the top two or three causes of every single environmental problem on the planet.” My vegetarianism grew out of humanitarian concerns and a desire to care for the planet. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">I would like to help my democratic socialist comrades make the connections between not eating animals or animal products and ecology and humanitarian concerns.</strong></div>
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Some omnivores will claim that a vegan diet is more expensive, adding another layer of elitism. For those of us who are middle class or wealthy and living in western industrial countries, being a vegan is not necessarily more expensive than eating animal products. For low-income people in the United States, the situation is both constrained and complex. We need to fight for low-income Americans to have increasing access to healthful food options; it should be a high priority for vegans. The situation is very different in other parts of the world, where some humans need to hunt and fish and use animal products to have enough to eat. Even in places with largely vegetarian diets, there is a need for access to more and better food.</div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">A. Breeze Harper points out that “dietary habits and food production connect to … the dismantling or maintenance of environmental racism, speciesism, ecological devastation, health disparities, institutional racism, overconsumption, and other social injustices”</strong> (read more in Harper’s book, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Sistah Vegan: Black Female Vegans Speak on Food, Identity, Health, and Society</em>). This, in a nutshell, is why I believe veganism and democratic socialism go hand in hand. As a person of faith, I feel called to be both a religious democratic socialist and a religious vegan.</div>
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Back to the first question: Which is more bothersome to my tablemates this holiday, my democratic socialism or my veganism? I’m not sure, but I do know that it will be easier to get through Thanksgiving without mentioning that I’m a democratic socialist. (However, I wouldn’t bet against my mentioning both.)</div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Rev. M. Lara Hoke </strong>is the minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover, Massachusetts. She believes, as Mahatma Gandhi said, "Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." Lara discovered DSA when she was a student at Harvard Divinity School, taking a course with Cornel West. This Thanksgiving, she is grateful that her family<ins datetime="2015-11-25T10:56" style="box-sizing: border-box;">,</ins>including her in-laws, have been so gracious about her veganism. Lara wants all the turkeys out there to know that although she became a vegetarian for humans and the environment, she became a vegan primarily because of her love for animals.</div>
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LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-84304478232042337292015-11-20T07:49:00.000-08:002016-02-01T05:40:44.197-08:00A New Congregation Has Passed the Resolution to Change the First Principle!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are happy to announce that the <a href="http://www.puuc.org/" target="_blank">Piedmont Unitarian Universalist Church</a> (Charlotte, NC)</span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">,</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"> has passed a resolution to change the UUA bylaws so that the First Principle reads, "The inherent worth and dignity of all beings." </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Thanks to them and all those that helped passed this resolution.</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.4;"> We now have 9 sponsoring congregations, and 4 sponsoring organizations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yours could be the next one - may it be so!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rev. LoraKim Joyner, DVM</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">First Principle Project Facilitator</span></span></div>
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LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-63876504005700324802015-09-25T12:58:00.000-07:002015-09-25T12:58:55.850-07:00Changing the Principles in Canada<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">“<span style="color: blue;">Can Eco-SpiritUality Grow Eco-JUUstice?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">May 17, 2008 </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Delivered at The Canadian Unitarian Council </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Presented by Rev. Meg Roberts and Rev. Brian Kiely </span></div>
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The lecture <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz4V0S2Af4cBWkJoOTRvWXBzQ0E/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a> was presented by members of the task force and lays out the thinking to change the Principles so that the 7th Principle comes first, and is followed by an altered First Principle, and an altered Second Principle. <br />
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New First Principle: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a </div>
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New Second Principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every being </div>
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New Third Principle: Justice equity and compassion in all relations</div>
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In 2008 the Canadian Unitarian Council a task force gathered to investigate changing the Principles to these, such as the First Principle Project is doing now. Their work is very similar to what we of the Unitarian Universalist Association have discussed. The Canadian Unitarian Council decided to table this worthwhile discussion for another time. Though it was not successful, it influenced preaching and conversation, again, much like the goals of the First Principle Project.<br />
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<br />LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-19874397989739806962015-08-23T15:04:00.000-07:002015-08-23T15:04:09.127-07:00All Religions, Every Being<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is a video that you can use in your First Principle Project discussions and faith development activities. </div>
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Here are some discussion questions:</div>
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How does your wisdom, experiences, and understanding resonate with what is shown here? </div>
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How might Unitarian Universalists depict our views on all beings if we were to have a video such as this?</div>
LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-79390206427709807632015-08-20T12:32:00.002-07:002015-08-20T12:34:52.653-07:00Nurture Your Nature with the First Principle Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">A new television show just began, Nurture Nature, hosted by Rev. LoraKim Joyner DVM. In the first two episodes she speaks of the First Principle Project. Following each show are reflection questions and action steps that address the intent of the First Principle Project - living compassionately, healthy, deeply, and joyfully in a multispecies world so that we can nurture all of life, and care for the many individuals. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">These videos can be used in Lifespan Development activities and as a Worship Service.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As this is a new project, if you have any suggestions for producing the show or for future shows, please contact Dr. Joyner.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESyDuCGxaNFuj5wRsuSfMI1FfDCOHyYiuuUzEpXcCwwHVrw6cTzl6FapulxqtYzujO557-QmN6pWPvMT3Nz72MpAdyMIwiEf5qpcrSl8EuYsg-l8ncjHVKwNwAlZRyqar1VC9GRLP_PE/s1600/08182015-1483.320x240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESyDuCGxaNFuj5wRsuSfMI1FfDCOHyYiuuUzEpXcCwwHVrw6cTzl6FapulxqtYzujO557-QmN6pWPvMT3Nz72MpAdyMIwiEf5qpcrSl8EuYsg-l8ncjHVKwNwAlZRyqar1VC9GRLP_PE/s640/08182015-1483.320x240.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://wpcommunitymedia.org/community/nurture-nature#!mm-66484" target="_blank">Click here to watch the first episode - Reverence for Life</a></div>
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<a href="http://wpcommunitymedia.org/community/nurture-nature#!mm-66483" target="_blank">Click here to watch the second episode - Living with Reverence for Life</a></div>
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<br />LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-71652943180998365372015-07-27T05:56:00.000-07:002015-07-27T05:56:03.220-07:00Multispecies Ministry and First Principle Project Podcast<br />
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Recently Rev. LoraKim Joyner, DVM was interviewed regarding her multispecies ministry, with particular attention to the First Principle Project. This is a podcast that you can listen to on this<a href="http://www.uuperspective.com/uupp-016-lorakim-joyner-first-prinicple-project-and-multi-species-ministry/" target="_blank"> site</a>, or can download. </div>
LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-89713339908959701812015-07-22T09:31:00.002-07:002015-07-22T09:31:15.643-07:00A New Congregation Has Passed the Resolution to Change the First Principle!<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are happy to announce that the </span><a href="https://www.unitarianchurchnantucket.org/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Second Congregational Society/Unitarian Universalist Meeting House</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">, (Nantucket, Massachusetts)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> has passed a resolution to change the UUA bylaws so that the First Principle reads, "The inherent worth and dignity of all beings." </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Thanks to them and those that helped passed this resolution, including Susan Richards who made it happen. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 1.4;"> We now have 8 sponsoring congregations, and 4 sponsoring organizations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yours could be the next one - may it be so!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rev. LoraKim Joyner, DVM</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">First Principle Project Facilitator</span></span></div>
LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-49099892996775938272015-06-22T07:20:00.000-07:002015-06-22T07:22:02.372-07:00A New Congregation Has Passed the Resolution to Change the First Principle!<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are happy to announce that the <a href="http://www.tullahomauu.org/" target="_blank">Unitarian Universalist Church of Tullahoma, Tennessee</a> has passed a resolution to change the UUA bylaws so that the First Principle reads, "The inherent worth and dignity of all beings." </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Thanks to them and those that helped passed this resolution, including Doug Traversa who preached on the subject and brought it to the attention of that congregation.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Here is a video of that sermon. You can use it to bring the conversation, and hopefully the resolution, to your congregation.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 1.4;"> We now have 7 sponsoring congregations, and 4 sponsoring organizations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yours could be the next one - may it be so!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rev. LoraKim Joyner, DVM</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">First Principle Project Facilitator</span></span></div>
LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-1521514598390195912015-06-19T11:36:00.001-07:002015-06-19T11:36:37.571-07:00A New Congregation Passed the First Principle Amendment!<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are happy to announce that the <a href="http://www.uufmboro.org/" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Murfreesboro, Tennessee </a>has passed a resolution to change the UUA bylaws so that the First Principle reads, "The inherent worth and dignity of all beings." </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Thanks to them and those that helped passed this resolution, including Doug Traversa who preached on the subject and brought it to the attention of that congregation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 1.4;"> We now have 6 sponsoring congregations, and 4 sponsoring organizations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yours could be the next one - may it be so!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rev. LoraKim Joyner, DVM</span></span></div>
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LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-6021777722370114492015-05-01T09:58:00.000-07:002015-05-01T10:02:45.551-07:00A New Congregation Passed the First Principle Amendment!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We are happy to announce that <span style="background-color: white;"> the <a href="http://ucwc.org/" target="_blank">Unitarian Congregation of West Chester</a> has passed a resolution to change the UUA bylaws so that the First Principle reads, "The inherent worth and dignity of all beings." Special thanks to </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">John Gribbin, who as the President of the <a href="http://ucwc.org/Websites/ufwc/images/Social-Justice-Docs/SJ-Pages/SJ-animal-ministry.htm" target="_blank">UU Animal Ministry chapter in the congregation</a> led this effort.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We now have 5 sponsoring congregations, and 4 sponsoring organizations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yours could be the next one - may it be so!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rev. LoraKim Joyner, DVM</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First Principle Project Facilitator</span></div>
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LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7245986155028689241.post-33285747600639205422015-04-01T06:48:00.000-07:002015-04-01T15:32:00.668-07:00Being an Advocate For the Earth by Changing the First Principle<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 13.5pt; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Guest Author: Rev. Sam Trumbore</span></div>
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Past President St. Lawrence Chapter of the Unitarian Universalist Minister's Association</div>
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Past President Unitarian Universalist Buddhist Fellowship</div>
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Minister First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">On Being an Advocate For the Earth</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Since
the dawn of civilization, humanity has been looking backward to the good old
days. In Genesis, we see the prototype for this human sentiment in the Garden
of Eden. Everything was wonderful and perfect until human beings follow their
curiosity, enabled by the serpent who puts doubt in their minds, and eat from
the forbidden tree. It all starts unraveling from there and we've been trying
to get back to that garden ever since.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
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<span style="background: white;">From the natural selection perspective of
evolutionary theory, humanity has been a supremely successful species. Big
brains are a very powerful adaptive resource to increase our ability to
survive. Our ability to remember opportunities and threats and then anticipate
them has helped us, reproduce and not get killed or eaten. And we've also
evolved ways to communicate that learning through language and retain that
learning beyond our own deaths. We're still talking about scientific, religious
and philosophic learning that happened thousands of years ago.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Sadly our success hasn't been very good for most
other life forms on this planet, except for rats, ticks, deer and cockroaches.
At the rate things are going, our dominance of the biosphere will likely drive
90% of species to extinction. Chickens, turkeys, goats, sheep, cows and pigs along
with wheat, corn and rice, however, have had their genes do very well. (A
version of humanities love of the 1%)</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">The threat we pose to the planet by driving
extinction rates through the roof is the way we disturb ecosystems. Human
intervention in a particular place hunting a species till it disappears or
selecting one species we'd like to encourage to multiply can create an
imbalance with the other species of plants and animals. Remove predators and
the deer population explodes. Introduce a new species like fast growing
Brazilian Pepper to Florida and it takes over, soaking up all the light and
creating barren ground under it. Understory plants can't survive with this bush
that has no enemies to contain it.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Systems theory has helped us understand and appreciate
the delicate balance that supports a wide diversity of species to survive.
Removing just one species or introducing one new one can completely unbalance
that system. Scientists think it takes a long time for that balance to
reestablish itself since evolutionary change requires many generations of
offspring to incorporate genetic changes to adapt. This could take hundreds or
thousands of years.</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Human activity happens much, much faster than
that.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">This imbalance between the rapid speed of human
activity and the slow rate that nature can adapt to our changes has created
significant discouragement by those interested in preserving the biodiversity
that currently exists. And that has led to an anti-humanism that can be sensed
in the new philosophy of Deep Ecology. This philosophy puts a higher value on
planetary welfare than on human welfare.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">And there is logic to this. If we destroy the
planet's ability to support life, it will be rather negative for humanity as
we'll face mass extinction too. The dilemma of our age is figuring out how to
balance human wants and needs verses the needs of planetary diversity of
species to survive and flourish.</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Or, in other words, to survive, humanity must
learn self-regulation.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Humanity does have this capacity to self-regulate
... but to make a commitment to this capacity</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><b><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">as
a planetary organism</span></i></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">will require an evolution of consciousness.
Every species puts its needs before all other species in the struggle to
survive. It is eat or be eaten and grab as much territory as you can. The
balance is created by the diversity of species not by any one species
self-regulating. Humanity so far has operated outside this mechanism - to our
peril.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Humanity is the first species that can
consciously value diversity and actually take an active hand in helping it
along. We are able to restore ecosystems after disrupting them. We have the
power to stop polluting the air, land and water. We can recognize that
increasing carbon dioxide will be a threat.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Commitment to interdependence is one of the
highest priorities of our species and potentially one of the greatest gifts we
can give our planet. We have the capacity to recreate the Garden of Eden
through a commitment to the planet before our self-interest.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">One way to make that commitment is to change our
first principle from "The inherent worth and dignity of all people"
to "every being."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Rev. Sam</span></span>LoraKim Joynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07305359695072392847noreply@blogger.com1