Posted by Joel Monka on August 10, 19102 at 21:50:16:
In Reply to: Re: The Opiate of the Masses posted by George on August 10, 19102 at 17:56:22:
: The AUC is a religious, not political organization. Was Marx religious? If not, he belongs somewhere else. I know it is tempting to put one's political views across, thinly-veiled under the guise of religion, but the AUC aims to be religious.
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: Is anyone going to give me the courtesy of looking at my thread asking for sermon topics? a very salient question for the AUC, and if I am going to be ignored, would you please show me your respect by saying why...shunning is just another way of ensuring group-think, the hobgoblin of Unitarianism..."I will speak with you as long as you say something I want to hear and in the manner I want to hear it". Then there is this thing about double stds. The group allows itself to say things without censure that it will not allow the minority voice to say.
: (I plan to still dialogue with Roger, even though he has resorted to name-calling, for instance).
I think you're merely running afoul of the siren call of summer- have you noticed that there's only a couple of people logging on regularly right now? I myself was unable to check the forum for several days, and saw several things I'd have commented on if it had been timely. :)
I do have a sermon idea for you, however. I believe the divine to be a hedonist; that unconditional love for all humanity is shown by the unending outpouring of sensual delights of all our senses. No man is so wretched as to be denied to beauty of birdsong, none so poor that he cannot afford to smell the flowers. Nor is anyone so rich that he can afford to buy another sunrise. (yes, I am writing a book on the subject :)
Therefore, rather than denying the world or the flesh, one should revel in all the joys the sensual world offers (within reasonable limits of health and ethics, of course). They are the gifts of God/dess, and denying them is not more holy, it is less so- and denying them to another is a blasphemy, an attempt to usurp the gifts that are god's alone to give or deny.
Thoughts?
Joel Monka