Religious Education Update: March 4, 2007
Mardi Gras, Lent and UU’s
A trombone player friend of mine goes to Mardi Gras every year, to party and enjoy the music of New Orleans. Afterwards, he observes the more solemn season of Lent with its time of inner reflection and sacrifice. At the end of Lent, he plays his trombone with other musicians at his church’s services, in the joyous celebration of Easter.
These alternating times of inner searching and outward rejoicing are part of the regular rhythms of the Christian church year. Other faiths have similar rituals of fasting or restricting pleasure, such as in the Muslim observance of Ramadan, or the Native American tribes’ vision quest, or the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’Av. Often the practice of self-deprivation is immediately followed by feasts and merrymaking.
The Unitarian Universalist church year generally does not have comparable seasons of fasting and inner searching. So, how do we understand this fairly universal experience of other traditions? What do we give up, even on a temporary basis, for our faith?
I believe that many UU’s give up the commonly held philosophy that we humans are the center of the universe; that our species is infinitely more valuable than others on this planet. We also realize that we have no monopoly on religious truth, but that other faiths have insights into life’s great mysteries. We give up feelings of superiority over others’ beliefs. In realizing our responsibility to this planet and its creatures, we may choose to live more simply, use fewer resources and reduce waste. We give up unnecessary consumption.
In these ways and others, UU’s incorporate inner searching and reflecting into their daily lives. Our Seven Principals lead us in acting respectfully towards others and in living lightly on the Earth. We collectively celebrate the miracles and mysteries of our lives and the abundant universe. We then create our own holidays and traditions, such as the Flower Communion or the Water and Stones Ceremony, to guide us on our collective religious path.
Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education
A trombone player friend of mine goes to Mardi Gras every year, to party and enjoy the music of New Orleans. Afterwards, he observes the more solemn season of Lent with its time of inner reflection and sacrifice. At the end of Lent, he plays his trombone with other musicians at his church’s services, in the joyous celebration of Easter.
These alternating times of inner searching and outward rejoicing are part of the regular rhythms of the Christian church year. Other faiths have similar rituals of fasting or restricting pleasure, such as in the Muslim observance of Ramadan, or the Native American tribes’ vision quest, or the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’Av. Often the practice of self-deprivation is immediately followed by feasts and merrymaking.
The Unitarian Universalist church year generally does not have comparable seasons of fasting and inner searching. So, how do we understand this fairly universal experience of other traditions? What do we give up, even on a temporary basis, for our faith?
I believe that many UU’s give up the commonly held philosophy that we humans are the center of the universe; that our species is infinitely more valuable than others on this planet. We also realize that we have no monopoly on religious truth, but that other faiths have insights into life’s great mysteries. We give up feelings of superiority over others’ beliefs. In realizing our responsibility to this planet and its creatures, we may choose to live more simply, use fewer resources and reduce waste. We give up unnecessary consumption.
In these ways and others, UU’s incorporate inner searching and reflecting into their daily lives. Our Seven Principals lead us in acting respectfully towards others and in living lightly on the Earth. We collectively celebrate the miracles and mysteries of our lives and the abundant universe. We then create our own holidays and traditions, such as the Flower Communion or the Water and Stones Ceremony, to guide us on our collective religious path.
Marlene Abel
Director of Religious Education
posted by Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma @ 6:27 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home