JK Wedding Video Now Helping to Prevent Domestic Violence

I'm sure many of you have seen the "JK Wedding Entrance Dance" viral video that is on YouTube (and recently discussed on Chalicechick's blog).

The song used in the video is by Chris Brown who is awaiting sentencing for domestic violence.

Jill Peterson and Kevin Heinz (the wedding couple) have created a web site with their wedding dance video that is asking for donations to support the Sheila Wellstone Institute, an organization dedicated to ending domestic violence in our communities.

This seems like a very generous and responsible way for this couple to use their "accidental fame."

Ministers and Professional Ethics

I'm writing this as a layperson in response to the recent blog criticisms from some Unitarian Universalist ministers who have been critical of the new UUA President Rev. Peter Morales and/or recent ceremonies at General Assembly.

I'm not providing links to these critical blogs.

But I will highlight the following guidelines from the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association's "Code of Professional Practice":

I will stand in a supportive relation to my colleagues and keep for them an open mind and heart.

***

I will not speak scornfully or in derogation of any colleague in public. In any private conversation critical of a colleague, I will speak responsibly and temperately.

So ... even if you think that Peter Morales was the worst possible choice for UUA President and you're still grieving over the the loss of Laurel Hallman, should you be expressing your concerns in a public blog setting for all of us to read?

Is expressing the very deep hurt that some of you are feeling the best way to embody the values in your ministerial code of ethics?

And if you think that a recent ritual at General Assembly was totally wrong for polity or other reasons, is a public blog the best setting for expressing these thoughts?

Again, does this embody the values in the ministerial ethics that all of you affirm?

I'm not telling anyone what to say, think, or feel. I'm simply asking if a public blog conversation about these issues is appropriate.

Apparently the answer to "WWJD" is writing "The God Delusion"

Here's a quote from British philosopher AC Grayling from an interview in the Guardian news web site:

I would imagine Jesus was a kind of Jewish reformer. If you were looking for an equivalent to the figure you dimly perceive through the gospels it would probably be a Richard Dawkins.

Why pareidolia doesn't mean a goddamned thing

Good Samaritan

One gets the feeling this is the response that Jesus would have received if he told the famous parable to a Unitarian Universalist crowd.

Richard Feynman on doubt, uncertainty, and religion

As a religious tradition, Unitarian Universalism has been very comfortable embracing doubt and uncertainty (and they share this with other liberal religious traditions).

And this may be one reason that we seem to have growth issues -- it's not easy to market uncertainty (at least that's what I've read on the UU-Leaders email list from UU church consultant Mike Durall).