The Spirit moves me to be humble, to give thanks, to have joy, to feel sorrow, to reach out, to go within, to search for meaning, to be curious about the world, to work toward acceptance and peace.  What is this spirit?  I do not know but I choose to call it God.  I could just as easily call it Allah, Yahweh, Shiva, the Tao, the ego, the Higher Power, etc.  My upbringing as a Christian taught me to seek the Spirit described above and value it more than success, possessions, popularity, beauty, and a whole host of other culturally induced beliefs.  But Christianity was not inclusive enough to allow me to explore and be open to the beliefs of others.   In this quest to find spiritual inclusivity I have found Unitarian Universalism.  Here I can explore many aspects of the human search for the Spirit.

 

At this point, I believe that there are some key indicators of whether or not the Spirit is working for me.  First, does it help me accept the challenges and fears I face daily?  Does it help me to be more tolerant of a wide variety of opinions?  Does it draw me more toward understanding than rejection?  Does it give me gratitude and joy?  Does it encourage me to be the best self I can be?  When it fails to live up to those standards, I know I need to regain contact.  I do this through the most ancient of practices, prayer and meditation.  They work because they allow me to acknowledge my small but important part of the world in which I live.

 

Margaret English

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My religion is a code of ethics consisting of my every thought, word, and action; life and religion are one. Consultants may be Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, or any being. A constant teacher is life itself.

I believe:

• In creating physical and financial independence and using these for my own and others’ welfare.
• That allowing others to exhibit strength is good; help, at its best develops self-reliance rather than dependence.
• That menial labor is praiseworthy, trumping the acceptance of a handout; performing to potential is commendable.
• In finishing a job started and maintaining the fruits of that labor.
• That words without works are meaningless; works, intermingled with enthusiasm, are paragon.
• In learning, thereby developing a philosophy for life.
• That the planet is best served when individuals and nations attend to their own affairs, thereby contributing to personal and national self-esteem.
• That the prevention of problems makes cures unnecessary.
• That people are responsible for their behavior.
• That life alters beliefs. Today, This I Believe.

 

Eileen Lackman

I believe we should love one another and ourselves.  I try to keep an open mind, and there are many ideas I’d like to believe in (like an afterlife, reincarnation, and karma), but at this practical point in my life I need evidence to believe it is true.  I grew up attending a Catholic church and eventually evolved to a liberal Christian reading about eastern religions, to an agnostic, and many days an atheist.

 

But I like the idea of being an agnostic best, because I don’t think it’s fair to my idea of needing evidence to believe there isn’t a higher power either.  I bring my children to UU because I want them to be able to decide for themselves what they believe.

 

Katie Buser

The world is a wonderful place. It is full of glorious books, music, and art. It is full of breathtaking scenery. It is full of loving animals. It is full of extraordinary people. Humans have achieved much progress, investigated the universe, eliminated many diseases, and filled us with wonder.

 

But the world is also full of hate, error, polluters, destroyers, murderers, and rapists. It is full of sickness, hunger, and pain. All “explanations” and “justifications” of these evils do not satisfy me.

 

 

I believe in forgiveness, even though it is difficult. I need to give it and to receive it for my own peace of mind. I believe in the healing power of nature and the peaceful quiet that can be found in woods, in mountains, and near the ocean.

 

I don’t know whether there is a God or not. It doesn’t matter to me because I believe in ethical behavior.  The ethics I learned as a child and have absorbed from my life experiences work for me.  My parents lived their Christian and environmental values with integrity and I try to do that as well.

 

I wish I could believe in some type of life after death but I can’t. I cannot conceive of a hell. I think we do a pretty good job of that for ourselves right here on earth, right now.

 

I’ve been asked if I believe in evolution.  I cannot even understand such a question.  Evolution is not a religion, it is not a belief system, it is science.  We have proof in the natural world and we are learning more about our origins every day.

 

There are many things I don’t understand, that no one understands. Therefore, I believe that ambiguity is a more prudent path than certainty.  I’m pretty sure of that!

 

Leila Farnum

 

There are no answers, only choices.

 

Katherine Jabs

 

“That Which Carries Me Away”

A week ago, it was the mountains I thought most wonderful.

And today, it is the plains. I guess it is the bigness of both that carries me away.

 

A week ago, it was the oceans I thought the most expansive.

And today, it is the sky. I guess it is the bigness of both that carries me away.

 

A week ago, it was all the lakes I thought most inviting. And today, it

is the rivers. I think it is the fish that swim in them that lures me away.

 

A week ago, it was the plants I thought the most amazing. And today, it

is the animals. It is the wonders of evolution that carries me away.

 

A week ago, it was our solar system I thought most spectacular. And today, it

is the universe most awesome. It is the tremendous size and age of both that carries me away.

 

A week ago, I thought the universe was the sum of all mass and energy

in fathomless space. And today, I remain completely awestruck,

and I know that all the above fills my being and carries me away.

 

Jim Paulsen (First verse by Georgia O’Keeffe)

 

I believe in not being a hypocrite.

 

I believe that, spiritually, I need to be a part of a group for whom love and acceptance is a reflex, not an espousal.  I am who I am because of where and what I’ve been before.

 

I believe in Grace absolutely.

 

What I believe is a long conversation. I am not a simple person and mine has not been a simple journey.  The same can be said of most of us.  I like that.

 

I have diverse tastes that speak to who I am, but are not all I am:  Hāfez, John Denver, Paulo Coelho, Cat Stevens, E.E. Cummings, Pete Seeger, Lao-Tzu, Loreena McKennitt, Rumi, Scott Cunningham, the Indigo Girls, Anne Lamott, Robert Fulghum.

 

I am proud to be a Unitarian Universalist; that UUism has enough room for all of me, of who I am at my best. Here I can be my most authentic, whole.  UUism encourages my aspirations, understands my failings, and encompasses my personal diversity and growth.

 

I believe it’s good to question, to have faith and reason together, to have joy in the spaces between the questions, to enjoy the places where you and other questioners meet.

 

My spirituality is a lifelong journey, and I like company when I travel.

 

Anna Nentwig

I am a part of the Cosmos, made from atoms born in supernovae eons ago. My body is composed of atoms that were once part of countless pre-existing organisms, recycled over and over again. Knowing that I am inextricably bound to the whole Universe is awe-inspiring!  The probability that you and I exist is infinitesimally small, and yet, amazingly, here we are!  The incredible expanse of the Cosmos, its vast age, and the natural processes that started life and continued its evolution illuminate a pathway for both my intellectual development and my spiritual growth. My walk with nature is a profound spiritual experience that evokes awe, a sense of beauty, and deep reverence. The application of science and mathematics allows me to comprehend the natural world, or at least some of it, however imperfectly, however incompletely. That quest will never be completed, only started. It will last as long as I live!

 

We (you and I and all of humanity), as a part of each other and the Cosmos, have a responsibility to nurture each other, to love one another, and to care for the natural world—both living and nonliving—around us.

 

Woody Henry

I believe there is no evidence for anything that is not natural and, further, that many phenomena have actually been created by people for improper purposes. Therefore, I will not rely on such constructs to take care of me or deliver my fondest dreams.

 

I believe the universe operates under certain laws which are immutable, natural, impersonal, and indifferent such as gravity, the marketplace, health, weight, and exercise. Therefore, I will attempt to learn those laws and place my life in harmony with them.

 

I believe smugness and self-satisfaction are the most dangerous human attributes, amounting to death while still breathing. Procrastination is the third mortal sin. Therefore, I will remember to work to bring some comfort to the afflicted, while never forgetting the importance of exercising my own special abilities to afflict the comfortable. I will remember not to exempt my smug self from occasional self-affliction whether I need it or not.

 

I believe action and achievement, and honesty, integrity, and compassion work better and make a better world. Therefore, I will try to remember to keep those values foremost in my life so that my contribution to human existence will be a positive one.

 

Elwood English

I believe that life is a true gift – undeserved and amazing beyond words.

 

I believe in the methods of science and am astounded at what science has discovered, but at this point I don’t think it can explain all there is to know about life. I believe that there is some aspect of myself, that makes me uniquely “me” and somehow ties me to the rest of the universe and its inhabitants. I think this is the source of my feelings of peace, my love, my sense of wonder and awe and ultimately my happiness.

 

I don’t know how to name this.  Soul? Spirit of life? Personality? I don’t think it arises from or is controlled by an external force.  Perhaps someday it will be explained by brain science, but having it explained and nurturing it seem like different tasks.  I believe that by exploring and nurturing this part of myself, I will deepen my understanding of my life, my connections to all that is around me and my role in the universe. And for me Unitarian Universalism, with its guiding principles, respect for all sources of knowledge and dedication to beloved community, is the place for that exploration.

 

Carolyn Boyd

I believe, if I have a calling in this life, it is to discover the work of my soul.  My resistance is strong; I can ignore the call for years at a time.  When I choose to face it again, I let my body guide me.

 

I believe that our bodies are honest and that there is knowledge in our bones and blood.

 

I pay attention when Deep Joy flows from my Center.  When Comfort settles into my Arms.  When Love radiates out from my Heart.  When Happiness spreads across my Face.  When Delicious Anticipation tingles on my Skin.  When Laughter wells up from my Stomach.  When Inspiration guides my Hands.  When my Ears hear with Compassion.  When I feel Honor and Purpose in my Footsteps.

 

Adrianne Wallace

I believe in hope and trust.

 

My hope is that with love and persistence we can make the world a better place.  Love requires us to set aside our petty differences be they race, nationality or creed in favor of those things that bind us together.  We all want to be understood and accepted but we need to do so within the confines of this small planet we share.  Somehow we have to get beyond the desire to be right and act instead from love.  Overcoming the obstacles of pain and fear is where persistence comes in.

 

I trust that with age comes experience, and, hopefully, wisdom.  Our culture celebrates youth and vitality over age and wisdom.  In the din of modern life it’s impossible to out shout your adversaries, the wise need to lead by example.

 

I place my hope and trust in community.  Together we can do amazing things.

 

Sue Reymer

I believe in the astonishing wonder of this planet, its amazing living things, its eternal and renewing beauty and all its wisdom, intelligence and mysteries.

 

I believe in the power of reflection, curiosity, humility and honesty as driving principles of a joyful life that grows richer with every lived day.

 

I believe in the rewards of effort and determination, and of ethical ambition.  Yet I also believe in moderation, acceptance and the goal of self-knowledge.

 

And I believe deeply and enduringly in the ameliorating power of geological time: this belief – this faith – gives me hope when I confront the profundity of the challenges we face as individuals and as a species, and most importantly of all, the challenges we have brought upon the rest of lifekind and this living, vibrant earth that we are so thoroughly blessed to inhabit.

 

Kristen Rickels Prinzing