Congregation Unitarian Universalist

Moral Values for a Diverse Society

Our Statement of Conscience

Definition of a Moral Person

Prelude and Opening Words:

Moral values increasingly frame public discourse. As Unitarian Universalists, we must affirm the moral influence of liberal religion in society. At great personal risk, the forebears of our faith have taken public positions on issues of consequence such as religious freedom, abolition, women's suffrage, and civil rights.

This tradition continues in our advocacy of the freedom to marry. People often make religious claims about controversial issues such as reproductive rights, stem cell research, the death penalty, and the teaching of evolution. Their efforts to advocate one perspective, to the exclusion of others, are influencing every branch and level of government. Consequently, the United States is moving away from its constitutionally mandated separation of church and state.


Lighting the Chalice:

May the light we now kindle inspire us to use our power to heal with love, to help with compassion, to bless with joy, to serve the spirit of freedom in the fullness of beloved community.

Prayer: ( followed by a moment of silent meditation)

In the quietness of this place and in the Spirit of this Community in which we share and find strength let us pray. Prayer cannot bring water to parched land, not stop a roaring flood, nor mend a broken bridge, nor rebuild a ruined city, but prayer can water an arid soul, change the tide toward righteousness, mend a broken heart and rebuild a weaken will. Let us pray.

Joys and Concerns: : (We throw a small stone into this bowl filled with water, to symbolize our thoughts, which move in circular rings eternally, like concentric waves.)

We invite you to share your joys and concerns since our last meeting

Story for All Ages:  (the children go to Religious Education at the end of the story and the adults sing "Spitit of Life" )

Hymn::    # 123  (STLT)   "Spirit of Life"   by Carolyn McDade (adapted)

Spirit of Life, come unto us,
Sing in our hearts all the stirrings of compassion.
Blow in the wind, rise in the sea;
Move in our hands, giving life the shape of justice.
Roots hold us close; wings set us free;
Spirit of Life, come to us, come to me.

Statement:

It is time for Unitarian Universalists to assert and defend two basic principles underlying the United States Constitution:
• (1) the basic principle of freedom, the right of all human beings to follow a life of their choosing as long as others are not harmed, and
• (2) the basic principle of the inherent equal dignity of all human beings, which includes the right of all human beings to equal justice.

Our moral values are drawn from many sources. We are a blended family with diverse theologies but common moral values. "Values" can be defined as principles or qualities considered worthwhile by members of communities holding them and "morals" as discernment of behaviors that contribute to well-being. We recognize that we live in a moral context that spans many levels—planetary ecology, ; societies, cultures, individuals, cells, and molecules that we depend upon for our individual and organizational well-being.

As an Association, we have covenanted to affirm and promote each of our seven Principles.

The moral values of Unitarian Universalism correspond profoundly with those embodied in the founding documents of our nation. The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution embody freedom of religion, the right of conscience, and the worth and dignity of every person.

Like the values to which we aspire as Americans, our Unitarian Universalist values are distilled from the hopes, dreams, experiences, and struggles of all who honor them.

Our Unitarian Universalist Principles parallel the Ends Principle, the Golden Rule, and the founding documents of this nation. History shows the dire consequences when this core morality is rejected. Although our country has not fully implemented the promises of its founding documents to all of its people, we Unitarian Universalists strive to help this nation fulfill those promises.

Arising from our Principles, the common denominators of Unitarianism Universalist values are Compassion, Justice, Equity, The Right of Conscience, Reason, and Respect for Others. As Unitarian Universalists, we have a responsibility to give voice to the moral values on which our faith is grounded, not only with a statement of conscience but through acts of conscience that honor the values we espouse.

As individuals, let us:

• Speak out on moral issues with clarity and confidence;
• Listen to people with whom we find ourselves in conflict, recognizing them as our neighbors, our kin;
• Model a religion that embraces liberalism and morality; and
• Apply our moral values to improve society.

As congregations, let us:

• State the moral grounding of our social justice agendas;
• Speak collectively on moral issues;
• Give ourselves clear and accessible language to describe our moral values; and
• Urge our religious leaders to proclaim our moral values in the public square.

As an association of interdependent congregations, let us:

• Speak out forcefully on issues using Unitarian Universalist moral values;
• Articulate Unitarian Universalist values and their application to living with respect and compassion;
• Support civil liberties and the separation of church and state; and
• Work across faith, cultural, and national boundaries to cultivate a Beloved Global Community.

Let us proclaim Unitarian Universalist moral values to our communities and our nation. We will reinvigorate our living tradition so that it is visible, audible, and valued in the public square.

Discussion Theme: Definition of a Moral Person of Principles Copyright Congregation Unitarian Universalist of Puerto Rico Domestic Non-Profit Corporation #6268

Remembering the words of Lay minister Donner Lohnes:


The final definition of a truly moral person is the world that a person creates by their actions and examples for our children to inherit.

Do you know any truly moral people?

Do you consider yourself a moral person, a person of principles?

Do you believe her definition of a moral person is a good definition?

Do you have your own definition of a moral person, a person of principles?

How do we find list of morals and values to live by, and how how important is it that we teach them to our children by actions and examples?

How do we know which are the most important human morals and values to live by?

For you, which are the most important human morals and values to live by and how do you advocate for the principles they are based on?

Benediction:

If, here, you have found freedom, take it with you into the world. If you have found comfort, go and share it with others. If you have dreamed dreams, help one another, that they may come true! If you have known love, give some back to a bruised and hurting world. Go in peace.

*Closing circle of hands:

(Holding hands or link arms as you read the closing words together)

Hope is a state of mind, not of the world. Hope, in this deep and
powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or
willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for
success, but rather an ability and commitment to work for something because it is.

Extinguish Chalice:

And now we extinguish our chalice but not:
The warmth of community,
The spirit of gratitude,
Or
The fire of commitment and shared compassion of this community.
The light of hope, hope for change that brings new blessings into our lives and the lives of those around us continues to burn brightly, we carry hope in our hearts until we are together again.

*Hymn:    Go now in Peace     

Go now in Peace, Go now in Peace,
May the Love of God surround you
Everywhere, everywhere, You may go


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