Has anyone else gotten a sermon out of YA?

Question

I answer questions here with the word "Unitarian" in them. One question in particular, "Isn't a devout Universalist Unitarian [sic] a contradiction in terms?", inspired a sermon.

Note that I'm not a minister. Our little UU congregation has a real minister speak 3 times a month, and lay people on the other Sundays. I'm one of the second string.

Has anyone else written a sermon based on questions or answers on Y!A?

If you are interested in the sermon itself, it is here:

http://www.stanuu.org/devoutuu.html

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No one else got one, so far, it seems.

Athiest Consigleri, who writes too much, don't we all?

Christian Me, my question was ambiguous; I meant has anyone else used Y!A as the starting point to a real sermon given to an audience in a church, not has anyone written a sermon in response to a Question here.

Ledbetter, you get the 10 points for being so thoughtful.

Rev. Jerry, you either have a long way to go in your studies, or you don't type as fast as you think, or you are poking fun at Jerry Falwell by using his name and making grammatical mistakes.

Ba_Wa_jo, thanks, but I don't consider myself a minister.

Mariah, are you talking about your Asberger's? I can see how it would be a trial.

Answer 1

Ted,

Thank you for the link. I enjoyed the sermon very much. What I love about the UU church is that it formalizes mysticism, in a sense.

I am Anglican Christian but whenever I typed my beliefs into a faith generator like at Beliefnet the UUs come back #1. Once I was talking to a very liberal mystic Episcopal priest and I told him that I view something like the Virgin Birth as less about a factual claim and more about a metaphor, and so I am agnostic to that doctrine's factual accuracy but it rings true with me. He replied, "Yes, the Anglican Communion allows for great diversity of beliefs. Of course, it's not like the Unitarian Universalist Church where you can just believe anything you like."

It would be tempting to see him as condescending or ignorant. On the first count, he reglarly gives sermons that argue all mankind is One in the service of God calling it by different names or no name at all but exhibiting it in our hearts and in our actions. He tells a story that says we think we have a corner on theological truth because our views of all the other villages are obscured by the wonderfully rich mountain views in our own landscape. On the latter count, of ignorance, I believe that his comment is not the result of a misunderstanding or from unknowing.

So what did he mean by it?

That the UU Church has no set mythological system. That's it. That's also why I myself love and respect the UUs I know but could never be one. I tend to see CG Jung, Huston Smith, Aldous Huxley, and Joseph Campbell's points of view that people have a deep-seated psychological need for mythological archetypes, stories, etc. Further, it is not meaningful enough for me to view these stories completely from without and as mere fairy tale - otherwise I would be a UU and just read Greek and Hindu literature.

I love the regular meetings to keep you focused on serving others rather than being solipsistic and content to sit at home as peiople like us are tempted to do so often. I ove the community-building practices like the pot-lucks. I love the use of worship music, of stories from various backgrounds. There is a very meaningful religion there. But as progressive and brilliant as it is, I have simply found that the waters of Christianity run deeper, at least in the area where I hang out.

Again, thank you for posting the sermon!

[Incidentally, if I were going to take a sermon from YA it would be to talk about the materialist's view of the world where there's no such thing as love just a gazillion selfish genes all duping "you" (there is no you, we're each just a sack of coordinating atoms) into thinking you feel something for someone else. Next to fundamentalism, I think this is the next most dangerous idea.]

Answer 2

First, I am a Prophet, and an Ordained Elder. I was ordained in 1991 under COGIC( Church Of GOD In Christ) As far as I know, you appear to be the first. That is not a bad thing. It makes you a trail blazer. Second, you are a minister, minister means to serve, and you are doing an excellent job of serving in and out of your church. The universe does need to operate in unity, both of these root words are in Universalist Unitarian. To be honest,all faiths may not live up to their names, we must live up to the name..

Therefore, keep on doing your part, no matter how great or small.
Prophet Barry Wayne Jones, Sr., D.D.

Answer 3

I haven't gotten any sermons...and I don't understand people enough to try to give one.

I grew up being told I was evil. I can see "inside" people... I can "see" a person and then in a way "let out" who they are (visualizing) inside "really" without the garnishing people do (I do it too) for society.

I turned to religion hoping for guidance using what I do. What I didn't get was comfort of any kind, or guidance. What I did get was a verbal barrage of "I don't know about this, I am scared, it must be bad if I don't understand it, therefore it is evil". (Thinking inside their particular religion's box) I am not sure exactly what they wanted to put into words to describe what they were feeling...but the horror came through loud and clear.

I don't really remember NOT doing "this" whatever it is called, seeing inside people. I can teach others how to do it, or a form of it. My children can do this. When I am around someone often enough if I "think to loud" they get upset with what I said and they respond. I am comfortable around my daughters, I don't need "saved" in their eyes. I think loudly quite often around them and they usually give me flak for it. My husband is used to it (he should be after 10 years). A friend of ours (one of the people that didn't run when they "found out" about me) is still in the "man that's COOL" stage...

I stopped trying to hide. What good does it do? I get hurt. I am not really good at controlling these things I do, and if I get close to someone emotionally and then they (the dreaded "find out") find out what I can do....I am evil and four years old getting my feelings hurt again when the minister of my dad's church looked at me like I was the Anti-Christ. (I am not the Anti-Christ. **laughing** I wouldn't know where to start to try to be one.)

I do not understand people. I can "read" them, and "hear" them...But they confuse me. People say one thing verbally, their facial expression can say another thing, body language yet another, and they can be thinking something totally different!!

Answer 4

I'm starting out to be a minister i was ordain
i watched the movie ten commandments last night sweet movie man and i also watched even almighty so now I'm knowledgeable of Noah's ark and moses I'm trying to get any movie i can because i hate to read i listen to the bible over and over on my mp3 player all god is the Christ of eternal life i am the i am he says he is all i am sent me he says

i am here to witness to you that god is love and that id rather worship him and keep his commandments and find out that he he is real when i die

so in other words id rather worship god and find out he is not real then go through life not worshiping him and find out that he is

but if thou has no faith that he is not real or believe in him why should he believe in you

well hope you have a blessed day!

godbless you
but no i didnt get a sermon from that dude i went to that web site and like i said i dislike reading lol.....

Answer 5

I will say your sermon was very well thought out. I learned something. I don't write sermons on R&S because, truth be known, I can't type that fast!

Answer 6

Some of my answers turn into sermons.

I have a tendency to write too much.....