UU's on war...

[Scuba Pete]

OK,

I just have to ask (although I think I know the answer):

What is the UU stance on war? Is there an "official" stance as well as a "common" one?

 

[Green Gaia]

Do you mean in general or an official statement from the UUA on a particular war?

 

[Scuba Pete]

I want the official position (if there is one).

I also want the general consensus by UUs.

Truth be told, I am tired of the pro-war stance that I have seen in a number of congregations since I left mine a long while ago. Too many congregations and/or congregants subscribe to WWJB and I can't stomach that.

 

[Green Gaia]

On the Iraq war:

Based on numerous General Assembly resolutions about international conflicts and the United Nations, the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations is opposed to pre-emptive, unilateral military aggression, and has therefore opposed this war since its beginning. Subsequent General Assembly statements have called for "Congress to conduct open bi-partisan hearings to examine the moral and legal justification for the invasion of Iraq" (2003); the "broad internationalization of the reconstruction of Iraq with continued help from not only the United States but also the entire international community" (2004); and an "End to United States-sponsored Torture" (2005), among other actions.

http://www.uua.org/president/060316_iraq.html

http://www.uua.org/news/2003/iraq/

In general, UUs oppose war, that is not to say we are anti-military and in fact some UUs serve proudly in the military. I don't think you will hear many say that war should never happen, WWII taught us that. But we are big advocates of peace.

 

[Green Gaia]

Truth be told, I am tired of the pro-war stance that I have seen in a number of congregations since I left mine a long while ago. Too many congregations and/or congregants subscribe to WWJB and I can't stomach that.

Are you talking about UU congregations?

 

[Scuba Pete]

Are you talking about UU congregations?

No, I am not. I have some specific issues with attending a UU church as it relates to belief in the Scriptures. However, I have an even LARGER issue with a callous disregard for the horror of war that I have observed in many churches of Christ as well as a few other congregational churches. This WWJB mentality leaves me cold with anger. I understand the rage that Jesus felt when he saw the money changers in the temple. Worship should be a time to rejoice, not a time to bite your lip and avoid causing a scene. I have been essentially asked to not come back to two churches.

At the moment I find myself without ANY congregation, and maybe that's how it's supposed to be. However, I have not been to a UU congregation since 1975 and am seriously thinking of doing so this Sunday. I wanted to be sure of their stance on our aggression against Iraq before I went.

 

[Tigress]

From wikipedia.org:

Individual Unitarian Universalists are involved in opposing the death penalty, supporting environmental protection, peace, feminism, gun control, free speech, safe and legal abortion, and animal welfare. Others work to end homelessness, racism, domestic violence, homophobia, sexual assault, and HIV/AIDS.

Further reading:

Embattled Faith, courtesy of uuworld.org
Witnessing for Peace, courtesy of uua.org

 

[Davidium]

Wow....

Ok, I should be doing hospital stuff, and not posting, but I cant let this one go by...

Ok, first off, I am a UU Veteran, and I am working to return to the military as a UU Military Chaplain. I also have recently taken over administering the UU's in the Military Blog www.uumil.blogspot.com .

I believe that there are two main trends in UU thought on war. The first line of thought is the "No War" theory... that the use of military force is evil in and of itself, and is rarely, if ever justified. Some modify this by saying it is only justified in defense, but some dont even go this far.

The other trend in UU though on War is the "Just War" theory. This theory is that War is one of the great evils of humankind, but it is not the greatest evil. Sometimes, hopefully rarely, war is necessary to prevent an even greater evil. William Ellery Channing, who had opposed the War of 1812, later supported war if it was fought to end slavery, because he felt that slavery was a greater evil than war.

I think most UU's are found on a spectrum between these two theories. The "No War" theory is simple, but it can seem naive in a complex world. The "Just War" theory does take a complex world into account, but it makes just exactly what is a greater evil than war a judgement call that can be made differently for different people, and so it lacks clarity. I'm sure GW believes the "Global War on Terror" to be a Just War, but most UU's would not agree.

For myself, I served as a peackeeper in Bosnia, and was invovled in counter-insurgency in Latin America. I have been appalled that we have been too deeply involved in what I perceive to be an unjust war in Iraq, at the price of allowing a genocide to continue in the Darfur region of Sudan... which if we were to use U.S. Military force to stop I would consider a Just war... because I think Genocide is a greater evil than war.

My thoughts, and my view of pacifism in this religious movement I love...

Yours in Faith,

David

 

[Scuba Pete]

Way awesome answers... I have been so turned off by the "nudge, nudge, wink, wink Gospel of War" that I am seeing in the congregations that I have visited recently. It's something I have asked every where that I have visited. While I see some say how bad war is, none have taken a stand against it and it is obvious by the comments of many that they see this current war as "just".

 

[Tigress]

No, I am not. I have some specific issues with attending a UU church as it relates to belief in the Scriptures.

NetDoc, if I may, what exactly are these issues? I'm merely curious.

 

[Scuba Pete]

I was UU until 1975, when I converted to Christianity. Most UUs do not share my view of Scripture. However, very few share MY view of the scriptures.

Since there seem to be NO congregations with my view on Scriptures, and UU seems to be more in line with my views on homosexuality and war, I feel I have to revisit them. There has to be "chemistry" as well as a like viewpoint.

 

[Tigress]

Interesting. You haven't considered the Religious Society of Friends, have you?

Edit to add: Sorry, I only ask because your views reflected in this thread are very 'Quaker-like.'

 

[Scuba Pete]

I know of no Quaker congregations in my area. I do know of at least two UU congregations that are local to me.

 

[Tigress]

Try http://www.quakerfinder.org/ if you haven't already done so.

 

[Davidium]

Netdoc...

Also, I would check out the Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship....

There are indeed UU Christians out there... and I keep flirting with the idea of whether or not I am one of them.

http://www.uucf.uua.org/

Yours in Faith,

David

 

[Tigress]

Oh yes. I almost forgot about the UUCF. Definitely worth checking out.

 

[Scuba Pete]

It seems they have nothing in Florida.

 

[Tigress]

Nothing around where you're located? Darn.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Well, it appears that my old UU congregation is the closest.

But there is a Quaker congregation near by.

 

[Davidium]

NetDoc,

I might have been unclear about the UUCF... what you would find is that UUCF "Covenant Groups" meeting at and being members of local UU Churches. In other words, they are an organization within UU, not a separate kind of UU church.

So, if your old church does not have a UUCF group, then you could become a member and start one. We did that in Galveston (when I was there) and found quite a bit of interest for awhile. The person who founded the group eventually found himself called to serve as the minister of a congregationalist church (he was a retired minister) but It was interesting to watch.

That is the great thing about UU... if you dont feel that there is a place for you there, then it is not too hard to create a place, and the prejudices of many UU's (we are intolerant of intolerance ) will actually help you in creating for yourself a place.

Yours in Faith,

David