Christians, Baha’is and members of other religions are more than willing to thrust themselves into the marketplace of ideas, even in places where they may not be appreciated. Maybe its time Unitarian Universalists (UUs) also got a little militant, instead of just sitting in their churches and waiting for refugees broken and disillusioned from authoritarian religion to come to their churches. If lost souls learn about us faster, they can also heal faster.
We can start by buying and wearing things that proclaim our liberal religion to the masses. Look at this fine collection from Cafepress:
http://shop.cafepress.com/unitarian-universalist
And how about this collection from Zazzle?
http://www.zazzle.com/unitarian+universalist+gifts
And these too:
http://www.uu.wittyselfexpression.com/
http://www.uniuniques.com/main.html
Here are a few good examples from Northern Sun:
http://www.northernsun.com/n/s/home/unitarian-uu.html
You can even custom design some items here:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/products.php?txtid=501057
We may occationally find a Gospel tract left in restrooms for complete strangers to pick up (and perhaps discard). How about giving UU pamplets to people that we have earned our trust instead?
http://www.uua.org/publications/pamphlets/
Indeed, just as Baha’is may do “firesides” in members’ homes, so UUs often do “Dinners for Nine” in their homes as well. If non-church members were invited to these, then they would be a great way to share the faith in an relaxed, informal setting.
So how about it? Wouldn’t our world be better if there were as many UUs in it as there are Roman Catholics or Muslims now? I think so!
Dale, I agree completely that UUs need to act with more conviction in regard to sharing our religious ideas and community with others. Certainly religious fundamentalists are not shy about promoting their cause, and they are doing much damage to the world and to people’s minds and hearts as a result. UUs could really make a difference too — but a positive difference — if only we get some fire in our belly!
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Check this out:
http://www.uuworld.org/ideas/articles/175332.shtml
By 1966, when the Rev. David Rankin was called to serve his first congregation [the First Parish of Watertown], he found an “old gray ghost” atop the rising knoll on Watertown’s Church Street, with twelve to fourteen people attending the worship services. Almost every aspect of church life had disintegrated.
In an unprecedented action by Unitarian standards, Rankin went door to door, giving literature to 6,000 families and talking to hundreds about the liberal message of Unitarian Universalism. This evangelical approach worked, at least temporarily. Former Unitarians came back to church, along with ex-Catholics and even a Muslim. Yet it was not enough to save their Gothic edifice. The walls of the meetinghouse had holes, and the floorboards gave way when walked upon. In 1975 it was torn down, and the congregation moved next door to the parish hall, where it eventually grew and today flourishes. At least for now, the congregation is assured of a continuing existence.
I would hope that it would not take a church on the brink of extinction, or its very structures rotting away, for its minister and members to get off their butts and call out for more people to join them. The Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses are calling out constantly for outsiders to come in and increase their ranks. What’s our excuse for not being as outgoing?