Amendment 5 to Article II - Proposed by Matthew Johnson

I support this amendment (5) since my offerings of amendments below were …

Not accepted by the Board/A2 Committee to move forward. Please scroll Down for the words in my testimony today in the General Assembly Discussion

My Original Amendment Proposal was to add to the inspirations: Our experience of Creation, Nature, Wonder and the inherent wisdom of each and all, we hold in respect in the mystery we navigate.

As A delegate I promoted this amendment 34:

Amendment Promoted : add To Inspirations
"We draw upon our experience of creation, nature, wonder and the inherent wisdom of each and all.” Line 47 (Before “these sources”)

44 Section C-2.3. Inspirations.
45 As Unitarian Universalists, we use, and are inspired by, sacred and secular understandings
46 that help us to live into our values. We respect the histories, contexts and cultures in which
47 they were created and are currently practiced. We draw upon our experience of creation, nature, wonder and the inherent wisdom of each and all. These sources ground us and sustain us in
48 ordinary, difficult, and joyous times. Grateful for the religious ancestries we inherit and the
49 diversity which enriches our faith, we are called to ever deepen and expand our wisdom.

Supportive Testimony:

My first awareness memory was when I was 2 years old. I worshipped my mother. My UU faith is based on direct experience and inherent wisdom. The opening words about courage echo this truth. Because my parents did not teach me doctrine I was able to create my own spiritual practices with personal experience.
Beings have inherent knowledge when we are born. Our direct experiences with reason and others guides and inspires us. The reason I joined the UU Congregation was because of the direct Experience of mystery & wonder that renews our spirit in the sources. This clear inspiration acknowledges my faith experience.
Sometimes I have no love give. It happened when I first read article 2. While I intellectually appreciated the enormous amount of energy to get here, the one item in the inspiration that keeps me going was cancelled in the current report. The current proposed article 2 inspirations look outside of us, to others without reason or direct experience. Where is my faith? Currently, this is the only faith I know that acknowledges our inherent wisdom.
The trauma workshop this morning indicated possibility of breaking the cycle of trauma. One out of 4 women are recovering from trauma. A key way of Breaking the loop of trauma involves being in the experience of wonder.
At least 3 of the Amendments that survived the cull to 15 amendments contain the idea of wonder. We find the bylaws without a tether or passion without direct experience, without reason and without wonder.