Submission 308
Jennifer Noyce
UU Society of Iowa City (Coralville, IA) 3615
Please re-emphasize the phrase “free and responsible search for truth and meaning” in the values. By removing it and watering down the values/principles with the image, UU has removed the tenet that distinguishes UU-ism from creed-based religions and that may attract/welcome questioning individuals to our congregations.
I agree with this; free and responsible search for truth and meaning may be our most important principle, ensuring respect for all who are on such a search, even if their conclusion different from ours.
Kathy C.
I agree that this is the most serious omission in the current draft.
100%!
This wording is what differentiates UU from most other religions and is central to who we are. The way it’s just sort of slipped in sideways under the description of Pluralism makes it seem minor and irrelevant.
I agree. I’m considering where it should go in the new values-based document.
+1 to this, I was disappointed and kind of shocked to see a proposal for our values that made it this far along and left out truth.
I agree. “Free and responsible search for truth and meaning” should be a petal.
Free and responsible search for truth and meaning is not simply a right affirmed in Article II. It is a central tenet and duty of UU. It is our moral imperative to wonder, question, and seek to find answers.
I agree with this suggestion.
I also want to point to the need to put this idea in the now FIRST section of Article II, the Purposes section. My suggestion #59 made an effort to do that. Don’t know if you agree with the way I did it there, or if you would have a different approach.
Jennifer, @Sally, @KAC, @Belladonna , @klsteb2, @jholland @eleahall @Laura_Cipriano
I proposed, and a delegate has now submitted, an amendment to add Reason as a value, and in it we emphasize the search for truth and meaning.
REASON: We search for truth and meaning, informed by both reason and values. We covenant to search responsibly, thoughtfully considering the results of science and other evidence, while remaining open to new ideas and others’ viewpoints. Motivated by wonder, curiosity, and compassion, we strive to use our capacity for reason to engender better outcomes for all in our interconnected world.
If any of you or your delegates would support it, and sign on to the link below or on my #483 page, it would be greatly appreciated! Each signature matters in considering which of the submitted amendments go forth to the final step for selection. I know from comments like yours and others this matters to many UUs including the majority of my congregation, UUCLB.
LeRae Niell
done (had been, actually, maybe after you sent this)
“Pluralism. We celebrate that we are all sacred beings diverse in culture,
experience, and theology.
We covenant to learn from one another in our free and responsible search for
truth and meaning. We embrace our differences and commonalities with Love,
curiosity, and respect.”
Here is a link to the A2 text: https://www.uua.org/files/2023-02/article-II-study-report-2021-23.pdf#page=23
This does more than value the [F&RS4T&M], it explicitly charges us with the tasks that it requires.
@AmandaP @M_Eg @Rayna @Janet @cdenario @joann @drn @kristeb2 @JonathanTSeattle @eleahall @rwhite
First, I want to thank all of you for your contributions, encouragement, interest and/or support as we worked toward including reason in Article 2. As Jonathan pointed out my amendment #483 was not discussed, and as far as I know, none of the reason amendments made the cut.
Even as we celebrate many good things about article 2, it feels sad to just set our efforts aside, if more can be done to make the document more complete, concise, and inclusive.
Near the end of the mini assembly, it was said that amendments could be submitted next year. The criteria is set at a higher bar though. Fifteen congregations will have to support an amendment for it to be submitted. Delegates from 11 congregations signed my delegate support sheet (for #483), and many more members commented favorably on our various amendments for reason, science, and the free and responsible search for truth and meaning!
Together, I believe we can present an awesome combined and well-supported amendment next year. if any on us would want to pursue an amendment next year, we should start early on. The first thing we need to do is not loose track of each other!
I would like to arrange a way to exchange emails before our minds take a vacation from article 2.
How might we communicate? Any ideas? Does anyone know if this discuss site will remain open and if we will retain our user names and continue to receive notifications?
Grateful to be a UU among you,
LeRae
Note to authors and proponents of amendments that weren’t prioritized or presented: This forum is closing for comment tomorrow, but our lay-led public Facebook group, Blue Boat Passengers, will remain open for another few weeks for commenting (and still be viewable after that).
People who want to find others to coordinate about the 15-congregation amendment process may use the group to do so while it is open.
Please read both the rules and the pinned post before posting or commenting there.
Thank you.
Before I get any further, I would like to thank you, LeRae for your tremendous work in articulating the need to amend Article 2 to include Reason as a UU Value. You understood the process far better than I did, and I’m glad you ran with it! I felt that same disappointment to learn that your amendment was not among those to be voted upon. I hope that it will get a fair shake next year!
And in that vein, I would love to continue communications on this important topic! However, I am not a Facebooker and am not at all social-media savvy, and so I usually only communicate by email (creating that Google Doc early on in this process was a stretch for me!). If anyone else has an idea on how to keep the topic alive on another platform, please keep me in the loop! I can be reached at chrisdenario@gmail.com or if you want to continue to use the Google Doc to at least communicate temporarily until we find a platform that will carry us through to GA 2024, we can still login to this:
Warm regards to all those who chimed in on the Reason threads!
Christine
Hello, LeRae,
I certainly think reason, science, and the free and responsible search for truth and meaning are important. I think the things on the petal design could be values of any liberal church. Reason, etc. is something that sets Unitarianism apart from other denominations.
I was not a delegate and I don’t know why I got this email. However, I certainly would like to be part of your email group, however it is set up. I also would be willing to work for a reason amendment. (I hope the supporters of various reason amendments can agree on just one version and all work together on it.)
Could you please send me your amendment #483? I have not seen it.
Best,
Ellie Hall
Member, First Unitarian Church of Chicago
| Concerned LeRae Niell
June 26 |
- | - |
@AmandaP @M_Eg @Rayna @Janet @cdenario @joann @drn @kristeb2 @JonathanTSeattle @eleahall @rwhite
First, I want to thank all of you for your contributions, encouragement, interest and/or support as we worked toward including reason in Article 2. As Jonathan pointed out my amendment #483 was not discussed, and as far as I know, none of the reason amendments made the cut.
Even as we celebrate many good things about article 2, it feels sad to just set our efforts aside, if more can be done to make the document more complete, concise, and inclusive.
Near the end of the mini assembly, it was said that amendments could be submitted next year. The criteria is set at a higher bar though. Fifteen congregations will have to support an amendment for it to be submitted. Delegates from 11 congregations signed my delegate support sheet (for #483), and many more members commented favorably on our various amendments for reason, science, and the free and responsible search for truth and meaning!
Together, I believe we can present an awesome combined and well-supported amendment next year. if any on us would want to pursue an amendment next year, we should start early on. The first thing we need to do is not loose track of each other!
I would like to arrange a way to exchange emails before our minds take a vacation from article 2.
How might we communicate? Any ideas? Does anyone know if this discuss site will remain open and if we will retain our user names and continue to receive notifications?
Grateful to be a UU among you,
LeRae
Hello, Ellie, and thank you for responding!
The amendment to add reason as a value, #483, was:
REASON: We search for truth and meaning, informed by both reason and values. We covenant to search responsibly, thoughtfully considering the results of science and other evidence, while remaining open to new ideas and others’ viewpoints. Motivated by wonder, curiosity, and compassion, we strive to use our capacity for reason to engender better outcomes for all in our interconnected world.
I was not a delegate, but a delegate from my congregation submitted the amendment after our delegates unanimously voted to support it. I found your name and your comments when I looked at the various threads I could find about reason and/or the search for truth and meaning, to see who else expressed a strong interest in this topic. And there were many of us!
My hope is as yours, that we can work together to keep this key strength of our denomination in the forefront.
LeRae
Member, UU Church of Long Beach (California)
This site is about to be locked today, Tuesday (see notice at top). Our lay-led public Facebook group, Blue Boat Passengers, created for discussing Article II and GA, will remain open for commenting a couple weeks longer (and still be visible for viewing as a public record afterwards).
Blue Boat Passengers: Info & Constructive Discussion re Article II, etc. | Announcement: This group will soon be suspended | Facebook
Anyone who wishes to use the Blue Boat Passengers group for finding each other and coordinating to do the 15-congregation amendment process may do so while the group remains open (please read pinned post and follow group rules).
Here are some comments about the 15-congregation amendment process, from Donald Wilson, who used to be on the GA Planning Committee:
"“Unlike how the amendment process was run for this GA (ie at the discretion of the moderators and board), the process you’ve mentioned is bylaw and subject to little to no interpretation. I wouldn’t wait however. You need to get the petition from the UUA Board Secretary in the next couple weeks, and you have to have it turned Into the Board before February 1st.”
Thank you Sally! I’m glad to hear from you.
I just went to slack, which I haven’t used since 2021. I can see there will be a learning curve again.
How do I find the “channel?”