Amendment 11 to Article II - Proposed by John Gubbings

General Assembly 2023 Prioritized Article II Amendments
, , ,
21

@LPATKM
@gubknap

H Teri,

I like your meaning, it just doesn’t come across (at least to me) in your words.

Maybe just even changing it a little bit would help me:

“The UUA supports its member congregations to serve their communities through the transforming power of love.”

That still meets all of the criteria you mention (focuses on UUA supporting congregations, eliminates unnecessary ranking, aims to be succinct if not poetic, retains transforming and love, and deletes liberating) and it also echos our current Sources with the phrase “transforming power of love” (which honors our historic roots as the Commission was charged to do.)

What do you think?

You could even add back the word “world” in there for UUA:

“The UUA supports its member congregations to serve the world through the transforming power of love.”

At least to me, this sounds a little less grandiose than the original, because instead of claiming WE have the power to transform the world, we would just be SERVING the world through the power that belongs to LOVE?

2 Likes
22

The most important thing to know about an organization is its purpose. Everything it does serves its purpose, otherwise it is not part of the system. Purpose is how you define a system.

A purpose is not a value or covenant.

23

I like “to serve their communities through the tranforming power of love.” I think saying “serve the world” is a bit grandiose (self-important?)

2 Likes
24

A system/organization serves its purpose. All activities serve its purpose. That is how you know whether an activity should be undertaken. It is the highest expression of an organization. There are purposes the serve its highest purpose.

The values and covenant are not just for the bureaucracy. Neither is the highest purpose of the UUA.

25

The most important thing to know about an organization is its purpose. Everything it does serves its purpose, otherwise it is not part of the system. Purpose is how you define a system.

A purpose is not a value or covenant, but like them, it is for the whole.

26

The most important thing to know about an organization is its purpose. Everything it does serves its purpose, otherwise it is not part of the system. Purpose is how you define a system.

A purpose is not a value or covenant.

27

I agree. Both deleting this last sentence and Kara’s amendment have had more support in the discussions. Our time would be better spent debating one of those options.

28

FYI, this is the draft UUFMC Statement about Amendment 11:

Not all people believe that “Love” is the foundation or central value or highest purpose of UUA or its congregations. Not all people believe that “Love” is going to transform the world. Therefore we do not support this amendment that says our highest purpose is transformation of the world through Love.

Our preference is to delete this sentence, or if necessary, to replace it with wording that is more balanced between spiritual development and social activism, such as in our Amendment #22: “The Unitarian Universalist Association fosters freedom of belief and supports members to transform their beliefs into loving actions.”

3 Likes
29

I agree with the wording ‘loving actions’ .

2 Likes
30

I agree with you, Rick.

31

Do we discuss the weirdness of our use of the word itself and the history behind “liberatory” at any point?

Given that this is a direct invocation of “liberation theology”, which is Catholic and South American, and given that it was adopted and transformed in the USA by churches that are historically BIPOC, our use here can be seen as both appropriative and colonizing. Aren’t we supposed to be more careful with our allyship? Not saying we cannot be investing in the work, but not sure we get to have all the shiny things just because we want them.

1 Like
32

The most important thing to know about an organization is its purpose. Everything it does serves its purpose, otherwise it is not part of the system. Purpose is how you define a system.

A purpose is not a value or covenant.

33

I would guess that the BIPOC people in the committee must have approved its use. They are part of the UUA. Below is the speech I prepared to defend my amendment, but it also defends the whole statement of Purpose.

My amendment says highest purpose, but what really distinguishes this purpose from support for congregations and makes it a higher purpose is that it is a religious purpose – the “why” of UUA existence. Please let me explain.
Karen Armstrong’s Charterforcompassion.org demonstrates that “the principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves”. To me, this expresses what UUs mean by loving others. This love liberates people from the limits of their self-interest to include the interests of others. The purpose I am now going to read is consistent with the Charter and in timeless language, unburdened by words freighted with current special meaning or identified with a specific prophet.
“The highest purpose of the UUA is to actively engage its members in the transformation of the world through liberating love.” This purpose liberates the UUA from a focus on self-interest, to be in service to the world.
I am deeply grateful to the process that resulted in this proposal of our religious, or highest, purpose.

34

Below is what I prepared to introduce the amendment at GA.

My amendment says highest purpose, but what really distinguishes this purpose from support for congregations and makes it a higher purpose is that it is a religious purpose – the “why” of UUA existence. Please let me explain.

Karen Armstrong’s Charterforcompassion.org demonstrates that “the principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves”. To me, this expresses what UUs mean by loving others. This love liberates people from the limits of their self-interest to include the interests of others. The purpose I am now going to read is consistent with the Charter and in timeless language, unburdened by words freighted with current special meaning or identified with a specific prophet.
“The highest purpose of the UUA is to actively engage its members in the transformation of the world through liberating love.” This purpose liberates the UUA from a focus on self-interest, to be in service to the world.
I am deeply grateful to the process that resulted in this proposal of our religious, or highest, purpose.

35

Hi @gubknap aka John Gubbings,

I’m sorry we didn’t have time to discuss this at GA:

I feel strongly that this final summary statement of the purpose of UUA needs to at least BALANCE inner spiritual growth with outer action (transformation of the world). Because we can’t transform the world if we haven’t transformed ourselves.

The simplest edit I can imagine to accomplish this BALANCE# is:

8 The highest purpose of the Unitarian Universalist Association is [to actively engage its members in the]
9 transformation of ourselves and the world through liberating Love.

What do you think, John?

36

My first reaction is that the world includes ourselves and the UUA. The purpose expands UUA perspective to include the rest of the world. I would hope UUs would not interpret the purpose as not including themselves.
John G

| klsteb2 Kara Stebbins
June 26 |

  • | - |

Hi @gubknap aka John Gubbings,

I’m sorry we didn’t have time to discuss this at GA:

Poster1:

8 The highest purpose of the Unitarian Universalist Association is to actively engage its members in the
9 transformation of the world through liberating Love.

I feel strongly that this final summary statement of the purpose of UUA needs to at least BALANCE inner spiritual growth with outer action (transformation of the world). Because we can’t transform the world if we haven’t transformed ourselves.

The simplest edit I can imagine to accomplish this BALANCE# is:

8 The highest purpose of the Unitarian Universalist Association is [to actively engage its members in the]
9 transformation of ourselves and the world through liberating Love.

What do you think, John?

37

Note re 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. There’s now a specific post for this in the group (“A post for those wishing to do the 15-congregation amendment process to coordinate”). Please read both the rules and the pinned post before posting or commenting there.

Thanks.

Blue Boat Passengers: Info & Constructive Discussion re Article II, etc. | Announcement: This group will soon be suspended | Facebook

Here’s a comment from a former GA Planning Commission member who has been commenting in our group:*

“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.”

“If one congregation has a thought, send an email to 50 others and say “we are discussing X. What do you think?”

That is also the kind of thing that we have District and Regional assemblies for, both in person and virtual.

That is also the type of thing your religious professionals should be talking about at their regular meetings with their colleagues like minister Association chapter meetings.

It is the responsibility of your board president and other trustees to be deeply aware of the affairs of your closest congregations.

You discover by being in relationship and talking to one another.

You coordinate by email and phone call, same as we have for the last quarter century.”

“You don’t even have to have a congregational vote. You just have to get their board to sign off.”
“ETA: IMPORTANT NOTE!!!
You HAVE to check the bylaws of the local congregation. There are congregations scattered thru the entire Association who DO NOT let their Boards sign off on such a proposal and REQUIRE it to be a Congregational vote.”

15.1(c)(4)

At the next regular General Assembly following the process described in subsection (c)(3)(v), above, the Article II proposal is subject to amendment only by a three-fourths vote in favor of an amendment submitted to the General Assembly in writing by the Board of Trustees or a minimum of fifteen (15) certified congregations, as described in Section 15.2 of these Bylaws. Final approval of the Article II proposal requires a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly

…

15.2(d)

not less than fifteen certified member congregations by action of their governing boards or their congregations; such proposed amendments to Bylaws must be received by the Board of Trustees on February 1 whenever the regular General Assembly opens in June; otherwise not less than 110 days before the General Assembly;*

*Also look for the UU Governance Lab on Facebook to connect with Donald directly.

Also, a comment from another member who was participating on Discuss:
Some of us are connecting on Slack, mainly to remain in contact with others interested in specific amendments or the amendment process in general at GA 2024.

https://join.slack.com/…/zt-1y0pvelub-YVxUFoPpTrZ…

38

Further on my first response below.

Currently it is popular to talk about white supremacy in our congregations, and I hope that thought is not behind your wanting to include a focus transforming self. I think, in the current UU context, it is kind of a white supremacist thing to focus on perfecting yourself.

Brene Brown in the second TED talk she gave that I listened to specifically addresses asking liberal white people to see themselves as racist. It basically asks them to be feel shame, or something like that. Fear of shame and shame is associated with a threat of not belonging which she sees as powerful ways people are alienated (and I assume that therefore they should not be used as tools for motivation). I don’t remember her exact words, so this is just what I got out of the TED talk. I have talked with liberals in my congregation that feel alienated by such talk of white supremacy in our congregation and by extension, them, so it rang true for me. One has to love one’s self before you can love another.

So the purpose, to transform the world with liberating love, includes ourselves. What the world really needs is more liberating love as the motivating force. Liberating, because most people understand instinctively that love in society means love (or have compassion for) your neighbor (others in the world).

So sayeth my humble self.
John G

My first reaction is that the world includes ourselves and the UUA. The purpose expands UUA perspective to include the rest of the world. I would hope UUs would not interpret the purpose as not including themselves.
John G

| klsteb2 Kara Stebbins
June 26 |

  • | - |

Hi @gubknap aka John Gubbings,

I’m sorry we didn’t have time to discuss this at GA:

Poster1:

8 The highest purpose of the Unitarian Universalist Association is to actively engage its members in the
9 transformation of the world through liberating Love.

I feel strongly that this final summary statement of the purpose of UUA needs to at least BALANCE inner spiritual growth with outer action (transformation of the world). Because we can’t transform the world if we haven’t transformed ourselves.

The simplest edit I can imagine to accomplish this BALANCE# is:

8 The highest purpose of the Unitarian Universalist Association is [to actively engage its members in the]
9 transformation of ourselves and the world through liberating Love.

What do you think, John?

39

Thanks for your reply.

I was not thinking specifically about white supremacy when I proposed “transforming ourselves” in addition to “transforming the world.”

I was thinking that from my perspective, the most important purposes of UUA are to help members BOTH transform themselves (spiritual growth) and to transform the world (social action). I don’t want to focus just on myself, but I also don’t think I can focus very well on others WITHOUT at least some focus on myself.

I think that applies to issues of social justice, including dismantling systemic oppressions.

To repeat an earlier post, this is the final sentence of the Purpose section that I would actually prefer:

40

I support your statement. But it is not the purpose highest purpose of the UUA for me. A purpose of the UUA would be one I could put on my wall to remind me of why I am a UU and what I am about as a UU. I like what the team developed as that kind of a purpose I can easily remember and use it as my highest purpose.

John G

| klsteb2 Kara Stebbins
June 27 |

  • | - |

Thanks for your reply.

gubknap:

Currently it is popular to talk about white supremacy in our congregations, and I hope that thought is not behind your wanting to include a focus transforming self.

I was not thinking specifically about white supremacy when I proposed “transforming ourselves” in addition to “transforming the world.”

I was thinking that from my perspective, the most important purposes of UUA are to help members BOTH transform themselves (spiritual growth) and to transform the world (social action). I don’t want to focus just on myself, but I also don’t think I can focus very well on others WITHOUT at least some focus on myself.

I think that applies to issues of social justice, including dismantling systemic oppressions.

To repeat an earlier post, this is the final sentence of the Purpose section that I would actually prefer: